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Simple trellis for green beans | (Read 163 times) |
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Charley Hoke
Posts: 66
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June 29, 2008, 04:53:03 PM |
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I like growing green beans almost as much as I like eating them. We grow both pole beans and bush beans. I prefer the pole beans because if properly trellised take up less room, but have always detested the complicated trellis systems that I have used in the past. Last year I discovered a simpler way.
First, I keep my rows around 10 feet long and 2 feet apart; I put a wood steak at the ends of the rows sticking about 6 feet out of the ground. Then I tie a stick at the top of each steak to connect them. Then I tie an old piece of bailing twine to the cross stick and let it dangle down to the bean plant. I repeat this for each plant.
The beans will climb the twine and because it dangles, it makes it easier to harvest reaching between the plants as they sway freely. This concept makes it easier in the fall too. When the plant dies and if I have used twine made from jute or other natural fiber, I simply cut the twine loose from the cross stick, pull the bean plant from the ground and toss the whole thing in the compost pile.
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Jeremy_IL
Posts: 53
Workin' Central IL converted farmland
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June 30, 2008, 12:36:35 PM |
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Great setup! I like how "minimal" it is, especially that the twine is just dangling (rather than building a whole frame and affixing it at the bottom).
Very neat.
-Jeremy
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Charley Hoke
Posts: 66
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June 30, 2008, 05:31:20 PM |
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I am also experimenting with cucumbers, they require a bit more training as they are just as happy spreading out over the ground. Once they grab the twine they will gladly climb as well.
The beans on the other hand will reach for the string as long as it is close, they will find it.
I also like that I can easily reach trough to the next row because it is easy to push the string aside.
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paul wheaton
Administrator
Posts: 1341
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July 03, 2008, 03:28:40 PM |
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I was thinking about using baling twine until you mentioned composting all of it. That makes the baling twine idea not so good.
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paul wheaton
Administrator
Posts: 1341
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July 10, 2008, 12:02:50 PM |
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Would jute work as a baling twine?
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Charley Hoke
Posts: 66
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July 10, 2008, 02:38:49 PM |
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I don't see why jute would not work as bailing twine, it is a very strong fiber.
I'm not sure if the twine I have gotten in the past was jute or not, but it was a natural fiber, at least it looked like it.
For the last couple of years the twine I have been getting is an orange plastic type.
This is an interesting article I found on jute
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-jute.htm
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Charley Hoke
Posts: 66
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July 20, 2008, 10:09:06 AM |
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Or you could tie a string across the bottom and tie the dangle strings to that.
I get a lot of wind here too, I actually cut the strings a foot or so longer than I need and lay it directly on the plant. it's amazing how quickly the plants grab hold and once they do wind is not an issue. I keep check on them and help them out till they get going, once they do I just let them go.
Something has been killing my cucumbers so I adopted this method with them and it seems to have helped. The cukes need more training and help but it seems to be working out well.
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Green bean trellis.jpg
