[tangojulie]

Once again my detailed planning has been overtaken by the weather / my impatience to start things off  and the space I was going to put my late runner beans into is nothing like empty yet. The beans, on the other hand, are desperate for a home.

There is potentially space round a squash plant which is currently about 3 feet long. I'm thinking of planting a bean wigwam round it in the hope that the squash will grow long enough to be out of the shade of the beans by the time they're big enough to cast any. Has anyone tried this or is it a Bad Idea?

[compostqueen]

Yes it's fine. I do it as the space in the middle of the teepee is very temping 

I chose Sweet Mama the first time I did it and I think it was a good choice as the foliage was not too rampant.  Lovely squash too, which was good 

The squash will head for the light anyway and grow away from the teepee.  I let mine wander rather than try and train it up the wigwam.  Some will trail or climb mind you.  I added a ring of frilly lettuces, a sweet pea and a gorgeous Velvet Queen sunflower. It looked a picture.  Plenty of veg too, from one small space 

You could let one run through your sweetcorn too 

[ptarmigan]

I've let squash run through sweetcorn - similar idea as above - and it worked well.  Nice use of space and keeps the weeds down!

[Audy70]

I'm never done it but it is on my plan for next year. If you include corn, it's know as the three sisters. The beans use the corn for support, providing nitrogen in return and stabilizing the corn, and the squash mulch the lot. I've read that the beans on the corn makes harvesting of both a bit difficult but if your leaving them to dry as the native Americans did that it's not a problem.

[tangojulie]

Thanks all, off to start digging then!

[Jackypam]

I have squash and courgettes under the munty

[Madame Cholet]

I'm trying this too with clg fr beans.

[Jackypam]

I've put half climbing French and half runners on the munty,  French are winning by miles!

[meterman]

to save space my runners grow either side of a path, poles meeting in middle 10 inch soil each side and walk thru to pick

[Madame Cholet]

Yes I'm starting to try arches this year.

[Markw]

I like the idea of growing them under the beans, and in between the sweetcorn, last year I managed to get them grow over the area of my early spuds. Mind you I needed to be quick in digging the spuds.

[pigguns]

Yes I'm starting to try arches this year.

My munty is across the path- I grow stuff both sides (borlottis this year) and I walk under  but then am 5ft 0

[surbie100]

Yes I'm starting to try arches this year.

My munty is across the path- I grow stuff both sides (borlottis this year) and I walk under  but then am 5ft 0

Any pics? My arches are only 50cm wide so I'm v. interested in trying that, if I can adjust it for 5ft9...(and remember the forum rule = if there are no pics it didn't happen... ) I've got my runners as an angled wall coming out of the bed, but I keep walking into the supporting bamboos, despite them being bleedin' obvious!

[Snoop]

to save space my runners grow either side of a path, poles meeting in middle 10 inch soil each side and walk thru to pick

Ditto. Well, that's my hope anyway. Have had no luck at all with climbing beans so far due to wind (meteorological, not physiological!).

[snowdrops]

Yes I'm starting to try arches this year.

My munty is across the path- I grow stuff both sides (borlottis this year) and I walk under  but then am 5ft 0

Any pics? My arches are only 50cm wide so I'm v. interested in trying that, if I can adjust it for 5ft9...(and remember the forum rule = if there are no pics it didn't happen... ) I've got my runners as an angled wall coming out of the bed, but I keep walking into the supporting bamboos, despite them being bleedin' obvious!

Have a look at my diary I'm sure I put pictures up of my Munty frame spanning my path, if not I will