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Resilient bean supports?

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  • #1

    Resilient bean supports?

    Does anyone have any good ideas for sturdy, weather resistant bean supports?

    Mine have been growing up canes, arranged in 4 sided pyramids, and with a few interlinking horizontal canes along the top to give the beans somewhere to go once they get past 8’ tall. The weight of the plants, plus a bit of wind earlier in the week has now caused several canes to snap, and the whole row has fallen over 3 times this week

    So, is there a better way I can support beans next year, so that they can stay upright until the end of the season?
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  • #2
    I think if you put some diagonal supports in it helps. Ive had a few disasters over the years as my plot can get windy, the diagonals have really helped.
    Will try to find a photo....

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    • #3
      Some pictures at https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...9-a_93190.html

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      • #4
        classically country people used coppiced hazel or chestnut for bean supports - don't suppose that helps much for a small garden but for those who grow on allotments or have large gardens ( or indeed a bit of rough ground nearby) it might be worth suggesting planting a few of these sorts of trees on the edges of the grounds for use by all allotmenteers.

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        • #5
          I got some green-coated metal canes from a local garden shop which come in different sizes and are far more sturdy and resilient than wooden canes. I don't know what they're called as they were just put in bunches in a pot.
          I work very hard so please don't expect me to think as well!

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          • #6
            thank you all for some good ideas there. I will have plenty options to choose from for my next allotment construction project ;-)

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            • #7
              Not a fan of the plastic coated canes. They don't seem to last too long and then break down to rubbish rather than smaller canes then compost.

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              • #8
                I'm not sure how good they would be....but I recently went to my local metal supplier and bought 6mm steel rods to make plant supports. They came in 9meter lengths and they cut to what ever size I needed.
                I've made loads of supports by bending around buckets etc. They may be too rusty to keep putting up and taking down at the end of the season?
                It worked out at just 54p plus vat a metre.

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                • #9
                  I have never had a problem with bean supports until this year. I just use tall canes. This year they are definitely rocking back and forth. My husband never queried my intentions a few days ago when I asked him for a big hammer. The structures are now reinforced with galvanised steel tubing (not pretty). I just hope they last out
                  When I lived in Sheffield ( many moons ago) a friend and I were known as bodgit and scarper. I think this bean support would have been something we would have been happy with.
                  Last edited by greenishfing; 19-08-2019, 05:11 PM.

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                  • #10
                    Been down to the plot tonight, and learned that my best efforts at buttressing were in vain. Buttresses held, but the other canes seemed to have tried to vault over the buttresses, uprooting most of the runner beans as they went...
                    Only goes to show that even stuff marked ‘easy’ in the catalogue can go wrong sometimes!

                    Thankfully, I strapped a few crossbars between the French Blauhildes and the washing line post at home, so we should still have a few beans, even if the runners are off the menu until next year ;-)

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                    • #11
                      That's my construction (pictured in spring sans beans).
                      Worked well, the bamboo sticks made it very stable. And it's easy to get at the beans. I'll reuse it next year.
                      Click image for larger version Name: received_879928115725793.jpg Views: 1 Size: 217.5 KB ID: 2385066
                      Location: London

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