Runner beans

Liriodendron

Has anyone grown dwarf runner beans?  If so, what did you think of them?

I'm asking because I get very strong winds here in the west of Ireland.  I love runner beans and have grown the tall ones (Scarlet Emperor) during the past couple of years.  However, they have needed extensive extra support to stop them blowing over - 5 guy ropes to the base of the hedge, and across the rest of the veg beds to the lawn, this year.

Alternatively, does anyone have a really secure way of supporting tall runner beans?

Allotment Boy

I have never grown dwarf runners, only French.  One of the guys on our Allotments uses some scaffolding poles as uprights and two cross beams. He then puts standard canes up against them in an A formation.  I was shown a method of tying canes you use heavy twine (he used old bailing twine). Loop the twine round each pair of canes and continue on to the next even though you may have a cross cane at the top. The idea is that the tension on the twine stop the canes pulling each way.
Hope this makes some sense I don't know how to put a diagram on here.

Lyn

We’ve got 4 x 4” posts cemented in the ground with sheep fencing stapled to it. Windy here too. 

Busy-Lizzie

I've grown dwarf runner beans, Hestia, in pots. Of course, you don't get such a big crop. The red and white flowers are pretty and the beans tasted like tall runner beans.

nick615

Liriodendron  As a 'neighbour' from West Cork, admittedly a Blowin, I've successfully developed my own everlasting supports that will be on their tenth year next year, and counting.  We, too, suffer from trans-Atlantic winds as you might expect.  Sadly, as with forums generally, this one doesn't allow for a detailed description of them but, if you'd care to PM me on nickatipixnetdotcom, I'll gladly forward details to you.

Dovefromabove

@nick615 it’s really not a good idea to give your personal email address on a public forum and it’s not needed … a PM can be sent direct via this forum.  You can ask the Mods to remove it for yiu as it’s too late for you to edit. 

Here is a link to an earlier thread with a photo of your runner bean support 

https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/comment/2418068#Comment_2418068  

Hope that’s helpful 😊 

Liriodendron

Thank you very much, @Allotment Boy @Lyn @Busy-Lizzie @nick615 and @Dovefromabove.  Useful suggestions there - I'm sending Nick a PM too.  But good to hear from Busy-Lizzie that "Hestia" has a good flavour, if I decide to try dwarf beans.  

Lizzie27

@Liriodendron, In an NGS garden near here once, I saw a row of decorative steel spirals (probably about 6 ft tall) stuck in at an angle and supported at the top by a wooden beam or pole. 
It looked very striking and I was tempted to do the same here but we use the 3 bed rotation method and OH didn't like the idea of a permanent structure in one place. 

nick615

Dovefromabove  Thanks, Dove, but the universal problem with Forums (bar one, not related) is that, if one has a complex document to transmit, it's impossible to do it because of space limitations.  I've replied via the official 'PM' system to Loriodendron to explain, leaving her to email me or not as she thinks fit.  The file concerned takes two A4 sheets with several small pics built in, hence too big for GW Forum?  Thanks for your concern, though.

Liriodendron

Thanks @Lizzie27 .  I have to think if I want a substantial permanent structure or to include beans in my usual veg rotation...

Dovefromabove

@nick615 all I was saying is that if you want to give someone your  email address you should do it via the PM system rather than put it in the public forum for the whole world to see. It makes your email address vulnerable to spamming and worse. 

That’s why the PM system has been provided. 

😊