In a moment of mindlessness I started runner beans far too early. They
are now, of course, far too big, and can't be planted out till the end
of the month.

If I pinch out the tops, will the resulting side shoots develop into
tall twiners, or will the plants simply remain bushy?

--
Mike.

"Mike Lyle" wrote in message
...
In a moment of mindlessness I started runner beans far too early. They
are now, of course, far too big, and can't be planted out till the end
of the month.

If I pinch out the tops, will the resulting side shoots develop into
tall twiners, or will the plants simply remain bushy?

--
Mike.

Ours are planted out!!

Where are you?

Mike
South East Coast of the Isle of Wight



--

....................................
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.
....................................

On May 8, 6:27*pm, "'Mike'" wrote:
"Mike Lyle" wrote in message

...

In a moment of mindlessness I started runner beans far too early. They
are now, of course, far too big, and can't be planted out till the end
of the month.

If I pinch out the tops, will the resulting side shoots develop into
tall twiners, or will the plants simply remain bushy?

--
Mike.

Ours are planted out!!

Where are you?

Mike
South East Coast of the Isle of Wight

--

...................................
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.
...................................

To answer your question,
If you pinch the tops out they will stay short though they will put up
some shoots, on the plus side you will get beans around 2 weeks
earlier than if they are climbing.
Beans grown this way used to be known as "ground beans"
I'd pinch them out and sow more to climb, also sow more early of June
these will crop on later when the earlier beans are going tough

Mike Lyle wrote:
In a moment of mindlessness I started runner beans far too early. They
are now, of course, far too big, and can't be planted out till the end
of the month.

If I pinch out the tops, will the resulting side shoots develop into
tall twiners, or will the plants simply remain bushy?


Bugger! Ours are out already and clambering up the poles! (SE Kent)

Too early? Really?

L

"Les Hemmings" wrote in message
...
Mike Lyle wrote:
In a moment of mindlessness I started runner beans far too early. They
are now, of course, far too big, and can't be planted out till the end
of the month.

If I pinch out the tops, will the resulting side shoots develop into
tall twiners, or will the plants simply remain bushy?


Bugger! Ours are out already and clambering up the poles! (SE Kent)

Too early? Really?

L

Panic not ;-) Ours are out too :-))

SWMBO with over 50 years gardening experience should know!!

Mike


--

....................................
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.
....................................

"Les Hemmings" wrote in message
...
Mike Lyle wrote:
In a moment of mindlessness I started runner beans far too early. They
are now, of course, far too big, and can't be planted out till the end
of the month.

If I pinch out the tops, will the resulting side shoots develop into
tall twiners, or will the plants simply remain bushy?


Bugger! Ours are out already and clambering up the poles! (SE Kent)

Too early? Really?

I planted some about a fortnight ago, and not one of the beggars has come
up!(:-(

Alan



L

alan.holmes wrote:

Bugger! Ours are out already and clambering up the poles! (SE Kent)

Too early? Really?

I planted some about a fortnight ago, and not one of the beggars has
come up!(:-(

Alan


Had soaked ours for 24 hours indoors, then potted them up and put them in
the greenhouse until they had four leaves or so, then in the ground outside.
Seem to be doing great...

L

"Les Hemmings" wrote in message
...
Mike Lyle wrote:
In a moment of mindlessness I started runner beans far too early. They
are now, of course, far too big, and can't be planted out till the end
of the month.

If I pinch out the tops, will the resulting side shoots develop into
tall twiners, or will the plants simply remain bushy?


Bugger! Ours are out already and clambering up the poles! (SE Kent)

Too early? Really?

L
Ditto

Pete C

On May 8, 7:50*pm, Janet wrote:
In article ,
says...



In a moment of mindlessness I started runner beans far too early. They
are now, of course, far too big, and can't be planted out till the end
of the month.

* * * I'd start some more if you have seed left.



If I pinch out the tops, will the resulting side shoots develop into
tall twiners,

*Yes

or will the plants simply remain bushy?

No

* Janet.

Yes Janet , you're right, to grow ground beans we did pinch back a few
times, it's just after 50 odd years it takes time to think back.

On May 8, 8:26*pm, "'Mike'" wrote:
"Les Hemmings" wrote in message

... Mike Lyle wrote:
In a moment of mindlessness I started runner beans far too early. They
are now, of course, far too big, and can't be planted out till the end
of the month.

If I pinch out the tops, will the resulting side shoots develop into
tall twiners, or will the plants simply remain bushy?

Bugger! Ours are out already and clambering up the poles! (SE Kent)

Too early? Really?

L

Panic not ;-) Ours are out too :-))

SWMBO with over 50 years gardening experience should know!!

Mike

--

...................................
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.
...................................

And just what is SWMBO ?

Dave Hill wrote:

...................................

And just what is SWMBO ?

She Who Must be Obeyed!

"Mike Lyle" wrote

In a moment of mindlessness I started runner beans far too early. They
are now, of course, far too big, and can't be planted out till the end
of the month.

If I pinch out the tops, will the resulting side shoots develop into
tall twiners, or will the plants simply remain bushy?

Well seeing as a lot of the allotment holders on our site (the newer ones!)
have had their runners planted out for a couple of weeks why not give it a
go yourself. As a backup, in case of frost, plant some more now, some of the
older gardeners planted a few beans every few weeks to get a constant crop
over a long time and it worked.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

On Sun, 8 May 2011 22:49:42 +0100, "Bob Hobden"
wrote:

"Mike Lyle" wrote

In a moment of mindlessness I started runner beans far too early. They
are now, of course, far too big, and can't be planted out till the end
of the month.

If I pinch out the tops, will the resulting side shoots develop into
tall twiners, or will the plants simply remain bushy?

Well seeing as a lot of the allotment holders on our site (the newer ones!)
have had their runners planted out for a couple of weeks why not give it a
go yourself. As a backup, in case of frost, plant some more now, some of the
older gardeners planted a few beans every few weeks to get a constant crop
over a long time and it worked.

Thanks to all. I'll go with belt and suspenders.

--
Mike.

In article ,
Mike Lyle wrote:
On Mon, 9 May 2011 10:14:58 +0100, Janet wrote:

Thanks to all. I'll go with belt and suspenders.

That's one for the Illustrated Book of Urg :-)

Thank you: one hoped to raise a faint smile, even if not the full Eric
Robson leer.

For literary precedent, I refer the Hon. Lady to Mr Kipling's /Just So
Stories/.

We don't all have infinite resource and sagacity, you know.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On Mon, 9 May 2011 10:14:58 +0100, Janet wrote:

In article ,
says...
[...]

Thanks to all. I'll go with belt and suspenders.

That's one for the Illustrated Book of Urg :-)

Thank you: one hoped to raise a faint smile, even if not the full Eric
Robson leer.

For literary precedent, I refer the Hon. Lady to Mr Kipling's /Just So
Stories/.

--
Mike.