For the past few years, I have been growing climbing French beans
(not the usual dwarf) and runners on a cage. This works very well,
though needs more space than a wigwam.

Mine is a 4m x 2m high bean frame, a similar device made from an
old swing and climbing frame, and two 4m steel tubes, to form a
4m x 4m square, 2m high. I tie a rope across the centre, and run
binder twine every 5m cm or so across the top and down the sides.
I plant beans round the edges and a few in the middle (again up
binder twine to the rope).

You can use the same frame for peas, as they are a little earlier
than the beans. Also, climbing French beans have NOT typically
been bred to crop once and stop - so it carries on longer. And,
of course, it is more slug and rot resistant in wet weather.

The corners tend to tangle rather, but it is open enough to be
pickable, and you can walk under it.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

For the past few years, I have been growing climbing French beans
(not the usual dwarf) and runners on a cage. This works very well,
though needs more space than a wigwam.

Mine is a 4m x 2m high bean frame, a similar device made from an
old swing and climbing frame, and two 4m steel tubes, to form a
4m x 4m square, 2m high. I tie a rope across the centre, and run
binder twine every 5m cm or so across the top and down the sides.
I plant beans round the edges and a few in the middle (again up
binder twine to the rope).

You can use the same frame for peas, as they are a little earlier
than the beans. Also, climbing French beans have NOT typically
been bred to crop once and stop - so it carries on longer. And,
of course, it is more slug and rot resistant in wet weather.

The corners tend to tangle rather, but it is open enough to be
pickable, and you can walk under it.


Sounds good to me. I gave up on canes and made a long frame, A section,
uprights every 18" or so. I made it by welding together lengths of concrete
reinforcing bar, because that's what I had lying around.

Steve