[earthing83]

Hi everyone!

I can feel spring in the air and have finally dedicated some time next week to get back outside and get my raised beds ready and the garden tidied.
 I heard recently that it's not a good idea to use the same bamboo canes each year (to prevent pests and diseases being spread) What do you think? Do I really need to go and buy a whole new load of canes?
Happy digging, sowing, planning!

[mumofstig]

Don't know about that earthing.....I use mine till they fall apart

Each year they tend to get a bit smaller as I cut the rotten bits off the ends

Someone is bound to come along now and tell me that I've been doing it wrong for all these years :blink:

[monsta]

you didn't hear this at a garden centre did you!   

as they'll try out to sell you things! 

[Salmo]

I can see that if you re-used the canes that have supported your brussels you might carry club root over. There is obviously some risk of carrying diseases such as club root and white onion rot from plot to plot but, unless you leave soil attached to the canes I cannot see that this is great. I suppose there is always some left up the hollow ends.

When you wash them off before you put them away you can always use a solution of Jeyes fluid or other disinfectant to make sure.

[JohnB47]

I heard Bob Flowerdue say that you should replace your canes each year, on a recent Gardeners Qustion Time. Personally, I won't be doing it.

Whatever next, sterilising your tools - a footbath for your boots? Surely there's much more floating in the air that you can't do anything about than would be on a reasonably clean cane?

[DD.]

I use 128 canes just for the beans alone - no way am I replacing that lot every year!

[earthing83]

i heard it on gardeners question time too. I think I'm just going to give them a good wash and not worry!!! I spent my first year growing my own as too much of a worrier, this year is going to be different!!
Thanks all  

[DD.]

If you're worried - drop the ends in a bucket of Jeyes fluid.

[RichardA]

I am with DD -- I have stacks of canes and just cut off any broken ends and replace with new ones as and when required. I have an old tank I dip pots in and at end of the washing session I stand the dirty ends of canes or stakes from supporting sprouts etc in that for a day or so and then let them dry. I think the frost etc will kill bugs etc.
I also grow my own canes.
R

[GrannieAnnie]

I bought 150 new ones last year, but am still using the ones that used to be 7 foot long and are now about 4 foot for my shorter plants.  Like MoS I cut the rotten bits off the bottom, but I couldn't afford to buy new ones every year!

I suppose they've got a point, but if you think too much about these things, you may as well give up growing, it'd be too expensive   

[craggy]

never thrown any out,if you live near woods or river bank,cut some hazel.Looks more natural and cost nothing.Can even fashion a walking stick in the dark evenings

[Trillium]

Bob Flowerdew must have a nice annual gardening budget to afford to throw out canes every year and replace them. I don't. I reuse everything until it's not useful anymore. Like everyone else, my stakes shrink with age but I've never dipped them or anything, simply scraped off excess mud for better storage in the garage overwinter. I'm always on the lookout for useful lengths of scrap lumber I can cut into stakes as we don't get the sort of canes the UK do.

[diggerjoe]

I've still got some of my late Dad's canes that still do a sterlng job on the plot - some how these seem to last longer than ones I 've bought in recent years. Never washed mine.

[NigelB]

.....Pops helmeted head above ramparts...........
Nooooo! Please don't replace your bamboo canes with like! 
 Instead, use native Hazel. Coppice it. You can use all sorts of places to grow your own beansticks.... 
Bamboo is harvested half a world away and has to be transported here on boats, distributed by wagon, then finally picked up (usually) by customers and taken home in a car.
I can't do it, but I'll bet someone can tell us all how many fuel-miles a single piece of bamboo has travelled in order to hold up your beans and peas for a season or two..... 
..... Ducks back down while adjusting chin-strap in expectation of incoming.....

[jimmytheshed]

I dont replace my canes either, well not until they are useless. but have just got hold of lots of bamboo canes cut from someones garden, i have broke the leaves off and paper skin, have about 60 4-5ft lengths. do you think these will dry out in time for this years use or wait till next. i dont want them to start shooting in the pots or ground they are in.