[moreteavicar]

Reading up on growling runner beans on here and came across "Muntys frame". Is plastic string suitable or would coir be better?

[Goosegirl]

You need something that won't stretch later on so maybe try a plastic washing line. Why not use the same supports you put in vertically and just tie them with some sort of wire.

[moreteavicar]

Thanks but I am talking about the "Strings" that the beans climb up.

[mumofstig]

A lot of people, me included, have used baler twine for the strings. I tend to tie a knot every now and then in the upright portion of the string, to give the plant something to cling on to, to stop the plant sliding back down when it's windy.

[moreteavicar]

Is that the orange plastic stuff?
Mind, I don't suppose you can get the binder-twine of my youth!

[mumofstig]

It comes in many colours, personally I like the blue 

[madcat]

The downside to the plastic is at the end of the season - with the jute string you can cut it top and bottom and sling the lot on the compost where beans and string will rot down together.  With plastic string you have to fiddle around getting it out  ... and then there is the whole thing about moving away from single use plastic.

Best place to get the jute string in decent size balls I have found is Wilcos, once they get their garden stuff in during the spring.

[moreteavicar]

Thank you all for your comments.
I just find it difficult to believe something as heavy as a runner bean will grow up twine!
My last experience of growing beans was with my Grandad and hazel bean poles - longer ago than i care to dwell on.....
Good call on the single use plastic - and the faffing around at the end of the season.

[mumofstig]

Trouble with jute string is that in a wet year I've had it rot away and the lot collapse on the ground.... I don't think it's that much of a chore with snips and a bit of tugging to get the bean stalks off the baler twine.... but each to their own

[JayG]

Multi-stranded braided plastic twine is very strong, and is usually made from polypropylene, which is certainly recyclable, although I can't guarantee it would be accepted along with your other recycled plastics.

It lasts for at least a couple of years outdoors before degrading and losing its strength, especially if you take it down and store it in the dark when not in use.

I leave the beans to wither in situ after they've finished producing, by which time they have become quite brittle and therefore much easier to break away from the twine.

[Potterer]

I’ve always used double jute string - on my munty frame we had drilled holes in the bottom and top board,threaded the jute through and in effect have two strings for beans to climb. Have never had a problem with it breaking and I have to cut to remove at end of year.  As it’s compostable I can throw it onto the compost with the bean climbers so don’t have to unravel anything.

[andreadon]

You could use twjne and keep an eye on it.
or you could plait it, 3 strands around each other.
or you could use copper wire, or any wire you can get...
Or bamboo canes tied on, or hazel.

All ways of avoiding plastic.

[rowlandwells]

I'm not quite up to using plastic for runner beans because I've always used  canes scaffold netting and  chicken wire and I've never had any probs with this method although other fellow gardeners use baler twine and it seems to work