Grow Your Own Magazine

I believe that you can train beans ect up string supports rather than canes. Can anyone explain how this is done and if it is sucessful

If its any help, when we moved in, the tomatoes in our greenhouse were started off on canes then had string tied to the bottom of the plants and tied to a wire running across the g/house.

I suspect you'd need some sort of basic frame arrangement to tie your string onto, and would maybe have to start them off on canes, but who knows?

You could build a basic frame and give it a go!

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I grow beans and cuc's up strings last year. I planted near to a fence and looped the string around which worked really well.

If you don't have a fence try building an A frame from canes and tie string from that.

Good luck Mandy

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I'm training beans and sweet peas up strings this year (attached to tent pegs in the ground, and a scaffolding pole up above). Will let you know if successful.

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Hi Serenity. I use this method for tomatoes mainly,,,Tie the string around the roots of the plant. Plant them and then attach to your upper cross bar/wire (make that sturdy as it will carry a lot of weight). Beans will wind merrily up while toms (and initially cucs) need tying on. Obviously this anchoring method only works for pot raised plants. if sown direct you need anchored cross bar at the bottom as well. I love the way the beans sway in the wind with this method.

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Paul

definately going to give this a go then, the taller canes are quite hard to come by and work out expensive if you have to but a lot.

Tall canes can be bought from your local Aldi, Lidle, B & Q etc, and they're not that expensive. If you look after them they will last for years. If you are using string for supports, it will need to be tied to a top frame of some sort, and anchored into the ground. Also, please use nylon or polypropylene string, not natural - it's heartbreaking when your crop is about ready to pick and collapses because the string support was not up to holding the weight.