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Bush beans are actually pole beans. Now what?

17 years ago

I planted some cranberry beans that I thought were bush type. Now that they're growing, they look to be pole beans. Thinking they were bush beans, I planted them in a long row, so putting up a teepee-type structure isn't feasible.

My thinking is to put one pole/stake per plant. Is there a better way to support them?

Comments (3)

  • 17 years ago

    If they are actually pole beans and some Cranberrys are, there are multiple ways of "staking" them. Poles planted into ground 12-18 inches apart is a traditional method. These need to protrude from the ground about six feet. Another method is plant posts about 20-25 feet apart and string a wire ( clothline, high tension fence wire or similar across the top of the posts. Then drop jute, binder twine, baler twine streamers from the wire to to the plants at 12 inch intervals. If you had two rows, a common method is to plat the posts with wire between the rows. You can then use poles lean aginst the wire creating a tent rather the teepee effect. You can also do this with the twine by anchoring it to planks, small logs, or stobs along the outside of the rows.
    Be sure they are pole beans tho, some of the older bush beans send out short runners.

  • 17 years ago

    If you installed metal t-posts, you could attach Johnny's Hortonova trellis to the T-posts and have a good strong support for your pole beans.

    You'll have a stronger set-up if you support some of the T-posts front and back, especially posts at end of rows. Re-bars pounded into ground right up against T-posts will do the trick and help prevent T-posts from leaning/falling over in a storm.

    I've used the Hortonova netting and have been pleased with it. Johnny's also have it in smaller length, plus a similar product called Trellinet . I like the 6 x 6 inch holes that are large enough for my hands when harvesting. (Hortonova/Trellinet's width = your installation's height.)

    Home D. has T-posts (garden Dept.) and re-bars (w/cement and the like). You'll need a small sledgehammer (cement dept), and cable ties (electrical dept) for attaching the netting to the posts.

  • 17 years ago

    In his thread, Pole bean spacing, Zeedman offers lots of great advice on trellis with excellent pics. Methinks he knows of what he talks ;-) Hope this is helpful.....

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