Climbing / Runner Beans - two per pot?

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Kristen

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Climbing / Runner Beans - two per pot?
« on: June 02, 2009, 06:34 »
I planted out my Runners and Climbing French Beans last night.

I had read somewhere here that its either one-plant-per-cane or two-plants-per-cane.

I've only ever done one plant per cane, so I've tried two plants this year.

It was quite fiddly trying to get two plants close enough for the one cane - they were raised in modules, and I hate modules anyway - so much root disturbance trying to push the plants out.  I had a couple of cells where I had sown two beans - they were chitted, but I probably decided that some looked like "no hope" - but actually pulled through, and that was great - one-cell-per-cane to get my two plants :)

So ... I'd appreciate any opinions on sowing two [chitted or otherwise] beans per, say, 3" pot instead of a module-cell, and planting one-pot per cane.

I think planting out from pots will be much less root disturbance than modules, and give the plants a bit more root-run.

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DD.

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Re: Climbing / Runner Beans - two per pot?
« Reply #1 on: June 02, 2009, 08:08 »
I have never found runner beans to be all that bothered about root disturbance and they soon establish themselves.

I start mine in the greenhouse in - wait for it - cat litter trays, about 28 plants per tray. As soon as they show, it's outside into a sheltered spot - I can soon whip them in if frost is forecast. Then plant them out when you think the risk of frost has passed.

I'm doing 2 per cane at 12" spacing this year, as I had no end of seed, so that's 128 plants, the same goes for the climbing purple French beans.
« Last Edit: June 02, 2009, 08:14 by DD. »
Did it really tell you to do THAT on the packet?

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Kristen

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Re: Climbing / Runner Beans - two per pot?
« Reply #2 on: June 02, 2009, 08:10 »
"wait for it ..."

 :D

I think you want the wig-wam method.  28 canes in the wig-wam, and then just plant-out the litter tray in the middle :D

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DD.

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Re: Climbing / Runner Beans - two per pot?
« Reply #3 on: June 02, 2009, 08:20 »
Now, why didn't I think of that!

This piccie was taken a week ago, the beans were just troweled out of the tray and popped straight in. The spaces will be filled by later sown beans.

They're whizzing up the canes now & I've now got an identical structure behind this one waiting for the French climbers.


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Kristen

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Re: Climbing / Runner Beans - two per pot?
« Reply #4 on: June 02, 2009, 08:31 »
"The spaces will be filled by later sown beans"

Interesting ... so you have beans at all heights to harvest? (rather than high-harevest at one end, and low-harvest at the other end [i.e. planted later]?

I saw a tip the other day to sow a bean when planting out (or maybe a bit later) so a second climber starts up when the first is getting near the top.

Although I reckon our beans carry on cropping until frost, so I have never felt the need for successional cropping.

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DD.

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Re: Climbing / Runner Beans - two per pot?
« Reply #5 on: June 02, 2009, 08:40 »
It was more a change of plan half way through.

It became obvious that I'd got way more plants than one a cane, so I thought I'd double up this year to see how it goes & sowed some more when I got home. They're about 2" high already.

The French climbers are a bit behind usual. My daughter looked after them for 10 days when we went away. 'Nuff said.

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theakston_uk

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Re: Climbing / Runner Beans - two per pot?
« Reply #6 on: June 02, 2009, 09:45 »
You should try using Richy's paper pots next time round, they are seriuosly good and easy to make.

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=11390.0

Grow 1 plant per pot and when they are ready just stick em in the ground. Make sure the pot is fully burried, read that somewhere on here.

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Kristen

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Re: Climbing / Runner Beans - two per pot?
« Reply #7 on: June 02, 2009, 10:05 »
Thanks, I've used Richy's paper pots for sweet corn, parsnips and other root veg, but its more effort than I want for the quantity of beans I grow (which don't seem to be unhappy being transplanted:) )

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Kristen

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Re: Climbing / Runner Beans - two per pot?
« Reply #8 on: June 02, 2009, 10:08 »
Picture of the X frame method I used.

The Runners, right at the back, I planted on the outside of the bed, and then realised that for a sticky-out X-frame I needed the plants closer together, so the nearer French Climbers are planted closer together, and consequently the top of the canes jut out more.

My canes are tall enough not to be at eye level, but its something to watch out for (Bad pun!)
IMG_4759_Beans_X-Frame.jpg

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lisa80

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Re: Climbing / Runner Beans - two per pot?
« Reply #9 on: June 02, 2009, 11:02 »
might seem like silly question but when did you sow your runner seeds? we bought plants this year and would like to do it from seed next year much cheaper i think! i do have a green house now

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Kristen

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Re: Climbing / Runner Beans - two per pot?
« Reply #10 on: June 02, 2009, 11:40 »
04-May - I sowed them one month before my "last frost" date - which I assume to be 1st June, even though for the last few years its actually been the first week of May.

I don't think planting tender plants out early, even if you are lucky and there is no late frost, helps much as the cold nights mean they sit still.

Last year I sowed them much earlier (in greenhouse) and had a six foot tangled mess to sort out when I came to plant them out :(

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Aunt Sally

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Re: Climbing / Runner Beans - two per pot?
« Reply #11 on: June 02, 2009, 13:17 »
Kristen

I hate to be the harbinger of doom because I can see you have taken a lot of trouble with your X frame but picture this the beans have climbed to the top and are fruiting nicely then we get one of those spells of weather which we often do when it lashes with rain and the wind blows strong.  Your frame will collapse  :(  you need to stabilise the top and support it so that it won't wave about (canes are very springy !

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Kristen

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Re: Climbing / Runner Beans - two per pot?
« Reply #12 on: June 02, 2009, 13:28 »
I did wonder why people go to all that trouble, and thanks for pointing that out.  You are mistaken in thinking I went to a lot of trouble though :) I walked down the row pushing in canes at a jaunty angle, and then back up the other side for the opposing canes  8)

I've been making my bean-frames in this untidy fashion for years (originally A now X frame, never with a cross-bar) without any problem ... hmmm ....

Possibly two things in my favour, the garden is well sheltered, and the clay soil sets like concrete around the canes!

However, better safe than sorry, and it occurred to me that a horizontal cane along the top would reduce the chance of eye injury for any 7-footers that visit!

Thanks for the doom harbingering :) I'll get on it (must, must, must plant my Gladiolli tonight though :( )



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