How many beans per cane/string?

[SarzWix]

I usually plant at most 2 bean plants per station, but watching this video on the Graines Baumaux website (French seed merchants) shows them planting 4 - 8 beans per station?! AND getting great crops. Obviously they're further south, but I'm wondering whether to the same - we eat a whole lot of beans...

[rustylady]

Looks worth a try. Might do the same myself this year.

[kathyd]

I've noticed that a lot of packets of french seeds seem to recommend closer spacings than we'd normally use - I planted my sweetcorn in the tunnel last year using their spacings, and was then horrified to see the recommended spacings on UK sites was much further apart... but it didn't seem to bother the plants at all - they still grew fine and produced cobs. On the other hand, I've just looked at a packet of rooted hollyhock cuttings I got the other day, and they say to plant them 10cm apart... which definitely doesn't sound right for such large plants! But I'm sure most plants can be planted closer than we normally use, provided the other conditions are right for them?

[chris]

I do two, pot grown and pop one in the hole when planting - something I picked up from here. Hasn't really worked that well for me though as for the past 2 years I've had hardly any beans at all.

[mothhawk]

They'd compete a lot more for nutrients and water, but if you can water and fertilize enough, why not? i like the look of those plastic clip things used to hold 2 canes together, I wonder if you can get them in the UK?

[SarzWix]

My soil is clay, and the bean bed has had manure and half a dalek of compost, so fertility oughtn't be a problem. Water ditto, as I'm in the NW. I reckon the biggest problem would be wet/airflow between the plants. I might give it a go with 4 per station and see how it goes. Best beef up my support frames though - the extra plants will make it more unstable in winds I'd imagine?

[Alison]

The other problem I can see is harvesting. You need to be able to see and get to the beans and that could be a problem if they are too dense.

[SarzWix]

Should be okay for drying beans though, which just hang there til the plants go over; I hope to grow a frame-full of tarbais and borlottis. And maybe not so bad for coloured pods as well, like Cosse Violette.

[VirginVegGrower]

Hmm I kind of like this and I must sow all those French beans this year or I will get caned

[darcyvuqua]

I was thinking about this yesterday so glad I found this this morning

[Bren In Pots]

I've been putting 2 to cane with my runners so I might add another one or 2

i like the look of those plastic clip things used to hold 2 canes together, I wonder if you can get them in the UK?

They're called cane grips :-

B&Q Wigwam Cane Grips, Pack Of 5, 0000003713501

[lottie dolly]

Mmmmm,i recon i will give it go to,i like the idea of the plastic cane supports,BUT,i wonder if they would last long in the sun,as the circular wigwam holders,dont last long,plus i would think those ones would have more strain on them,and they seem expensive for 1 years use,what do other think,or am i just a skin flint,
Wonder how they hold the strings into the soil,i see a line at the bottom,but what holds it down,i have int the past used washing line,fixed into the soil with tent pegs,they did stay put,but only 1 plant per string,and it did go a bit loose,on the wigwam,

[Bren In Pots]

LD these on eBay look a bit stronger :-

Green Plastic Ridge Cane Grips for Peas Runner Beans Bamboo x 12 Strong Reusable | eBay

[lottie dolly]

LD these on eBay look a bit stronger :-

Green Plastic Ridge Cane Grips for Peas Runner Beans Bamboo x 12 Strong Reusable | eBay

thanks BIP,they do,also cheaper,i do not have a pay pal,the only thing i got from Ebay was the knitting machine,and that was paid,cash on reciept,now i know of their existance,i will keep eyes peeled and google,i have just had another idea,wonders if my men folk can fashion something out of metal,this has set my grey matter of now,

[Veggielot]

I planted my beans closer than recommend last year, mainly because I couldn't bring myself to throw the extra away, didn't seem to effect them. Harvesting was a bit of a problem.