Planting between runner beans

[susieq100]

I saw Snadger's reply to a Jerusalem Artichoke question and he said that he was planting some in the middle of his runner bean row. I put up my bean sticks yesterday after preparing the trenches over the weekend and there is all that spare space in between the trenches. it seems such a waste!

So - question - is there anything that I could plant there that will not suffer from being really shaded when the beans come through and grow tall? I was wondering about leeks or brussel sprouts or something very wintry/late autumny? There's a fantastic deep tilth of soil and it's been well manured over the winter. Mr Q was helping me tie the sticks up and said it was like quicksand as he kept sinking into the soil! I'm planning on runner beans at one end and climbing frenchies at the other, so the climbing frenchies will probably be over first.

Any ideas?

[selfraising]

For the summer you could put lettuce types in there, they won't mind the shade. Perhaps some mini cabbages as well?

[zazen999]

I'm using this method this year, the beans get planted along the short side and grow up and over to the long side, and underneath...other crops.

[jacob marley]

Growing stuff in between rows of beans is fine if you can find some thing to grow in the shade apart from weeds the big problem is cultivating when the beans are well up the sticks it is almost imposible .
I put a heavy mulch between my rows last year and settled for that it kept the beans moist as well .
But come back in 3 months time and prove us all wrong i am always ready to learn,,..jacob

[Two_Sheds]

I put some kale in there last year (to hide them from the pigeons!) - they didn't grow very big, but they grew. The butterflies still found them.

Normally I just "plant" an upturned pop bottle for watering purposes, every few feet.

[carlseawolf]

i put trailing type squashes in last year and worked very well

[Florence Fennel]

I grow my runner beans up a wigwam. Do you think it would be possible to put courgettes in the middle of it so the roots are in shade, but train the leaves and fruit outside the canes? I'm struggling to find space for courgettes this year as they sprawl so much.

[GardeningMike]

space between runner bean (RB) rows

You'll need some space between RB rows to access plants e.g. for tying-in laterals later on after pinching out tips, harvesting & general inspection of plants. If you fill these narrow path spaces between RB rows with other crops how will you access your RB plants?

Early on, before RB plants produce a closed canopy of foliage (effectively shading anything growing near them), you could grow a catch-crops like radish that mature rapidly, well before the beans cast any significant wall of shade.

[GardeningMike]

I grow my runner beans up a wigwam. Do you think it would be possible to put courgettes in the middle of it so the roots are in shade, but train the leaves and fruit outside the canes? I'm struggling to find space for courgettes this year as they sprawl so much.

As you probably already know RBs (and FBs) are good companion plants to curcubits - I think what you suggest Florence would work well, as long as the courgettes are not shaded by the RBs - courgettes tolerate shade/partial shade less well than RBs, though neither will thrive in fiull shade (i.e. wont produce any fruit).

[Snadger]

I'm using this method this year, the beans get planted along the short side and grow up and over to the long side, and underneath...other crops.

Non understandings zazen?????????? Please elaborate!

[Snadger]

Just as an experiment, I've taken the jerusalem artichokes out that I planted to disguise my chook run (the problem was, the chokes cast shade on the chooks)
I now have a large bucket full which I intend planting down the centre of my long wigwam of legume canes!

[zazen999]

Non understandings zazen?????????? Please elaborate!

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...eas_28926.html

Pay attention Snadger....

[Florence Fennel]

As you probably already know RBs (and FBs) are good companion plants to curcubits - I think what you suggest Florence would work well, as long as the courgettes are not shaded by the RBs - courgettes tolerate shade/partial shade less well than RBs, though neither will thrive in fiull shade (i.e. wont produce any fruit).

Thanks GardeningMike, I didn't know about curcubits being chums with beans. I think I'll give it a try - the wigwam is in full sun (when it appears) for a good deal of the day, so shouldn't cast too much shade on the courgettes. I'll let you know!

[Snadger]

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...eas_28926.html

Pay attention Snadger....

Good luck with your experiment zazen...........but I aint convinced. In theory it may work if you do it by the book..........the problem is that runner beans can't read books! Lol .............. I am growing a grapevine in the greenhouse which theoretically should grow it's leaders towards the sun....the problem is the vine doesn't know that and grows in the opposite direction!

Of course you can grow runner beans as ground cover without anything for them to twine on at all.........just a thick bed of straw around them. No good if you want straight pods though.

[zazen999]

Well. Not runner beans - frenchies and tall peas....

I'll let you know the results later....but it is no different to growing up any structure...and this way no ground is wasted.