What If I pinch out bean tips?

**lottie dolly** · 23-04-2012, 08:47 PM

Originally posted by donnakebab View Post

As some of you will know from my previous posts I planted my French climbing beans too early. Never grown them before and only came with vague planting instructions from HSL. Anyway I've only got 5 as split the pack with DIL so she may well do better than me having not planted hers yet.

The problem is that they have grown to the height of their 7 foot canes in my conservatory and are currently waving their heads about looking for something to grasp on to (except runt Dave...bless him). it could be another 5 weeks before I put them outside by which time they will have completely taken over the conservatory and I wouldn't be able to move them.

What would happen if I pinched them out lower down the plant like you do with sweet peas? Would it kill them? Would they sprout 2 runners? If they do sprout 2 runners would they still crop? Has anybody tried this before?

Don't really know what to do for the best. Keep them where they are and create a room divider of bean plants, or try and put them out later after pinching out the tips.

Help. I know I did wrong but I promise not to do it again.

useually they sprout several shoots from the bottom,also if 1 gets cut down by mistake,if it were me,i would be tempted to cut the top off aprox 6in, and put it into water for an experiment,to see if it will grow new roots,thats what i done with sweet peas,and they great,nothing ventured and all that,see what others say,

**Thelma Sanders** · 23-04-2012, 08:50 PM

They'll deffo grow more shoots if you pinch them out lower.
I don't know about rooting the tops, it's worth a try though , and let us know how you get on, please

**Two_Sheds** · 24-04-2012, 05:59 AM

Originally posted by donnakebab View Post

they have grown to the height of their 7 foot canes

Are they thick and bushy, or thin & spindly?

Originally posted by donnakebab View Post

What would happen if I pinched them out ... Would it kill them?

It's standard practise to pinch the tips off before they reach the top of the canes: it makes the plant produce more side shoots, so more flowers & more beans

**donnakebab** · 24-04-2012, 06:05 AM

I'll post a picture as I don't know how good they are. They look pretty lush to me but as I'm a bean novice it's hard to say.

Going to have a furtle for my camera!

**donnakebab** · 24-04-2012, 06:24 AM

Here we go.

How do they look?

**chris** · 24-04-2012, 06:55 AM

Are you starting to harden them off now?

I would be..

**donnakebab** · 24-04-2012, 07:00 AM

This is my problem Chris. Because they have grown so well it is now difficult to move them in ant out so that was why I was asking about pinching out. I still have about 5 weeks before what I consider would be no threat of frost.

**chris** · 24-04-2012, 07:24 AM

Well.. what I have done is drilled some holes around the rim of the morrisons pots that they're in, and threaded string through and tied the cane to it, to try and brace the cane to stop it moving around so much when I move the pots around.

The last thing you want is to damage the roots or break the stem when you're moving them around. I think you're going to have to bite the bullet and start to harden them off. Nip the tops out as above, then move them out to a sheltered place (if you can). It's going to be a pain, but you're going to have to do it eventually. If you leave them in for another five weeks - when they bush out, they're going to be more awkward to move and will also have "soft" leaves. They'll then get wind burn and probably be set back, which means you'll probably get a later, lesser harvest.

You don't have to leave them out at night time - bring them back in when the temp starts to drop - after a week or so, leave them out an hour or so longer. By the time your danger of frost has past you'll be able to leave them outside fine

Do you have a GH? Mine are in a GH, but are only a couple of feet high at most at the moment. What beans are they out of interest? Are you growing them for the beans (to save seed), or the pods?

**taff** · 24-04-2012, 07:36 AM

pinch them out, they could do with being bushier

they look well though and I like your saucers

**donnakebab** · 24-04-2012, 08:07 AM

Thanks for the advice it's all good. Especially about the string to hold the cane steady.

But where do I pinch out from. If I just pinch the tip out will they bush from the bottom up or just at the point of pinching out? They are already over 7 feet tall and even Dave is catching up.

I don't have a green house. They are a climbing French been from HSL called 'Blue Coco'. I think I will be growing them for the beans so that I can save some and, if a success, grow more than 5 next year. I am becoming a bit obsessed with them.

Oh and taff, the saucers are dinner plates. I will need them come Christmas.

**Two_Sheds** · 24-04-2012, 10:21 AM

Just nip the tops out. It's not precise ~ just do it

Yours will then bush out a lot better: they are a bit spindly/thin on leaves at the mo

**Thelma Sanders** · 24-04-2012, 10:28 AM

I'd pinch them about half way, so not all the regrowth is at the top

It always works on my runner beans LOL

**leonmc0708** · 24-04-2012, 12:14 PM

sorry - what does pinch them out mean ?

**Florence Fennel** · 24-04-2012, 12:53 PM

Cut out (or nip out with fingers) the growing tip of the plant. In this case Donna can take her scissors to the top 6 inches, and look forward to the plant bushing out lower down.

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