Garden Design > Ideas for Gardens

Winter project beanpole time saver

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Trevor Ellis:
Putting up the bean poles and taking them down again after harvest can be a chore for some, just something that is part of the fun for others. If you like to get the job done quickly so that you can get on with something that you enjoy more, then the following might be of interest as a winter project that will streamline the spring job for future years. It takes a bit of effort initially but once done, makes the job easy and quick - especially if you grow a row of beans of reasonable length.
Two vertical poles with a cross beam are required, some large galvanized staples (from a country store - doubtful if they'd be available in shops) a hammer and a piece of metal (another hammer or a piece of metal perhaps) to splay the staples apart more than they are when you buy them so that when hammered sufficiently into the cross beam to be secure, leaving enough to allow the narrower part of the cane to be pushed through ( not forgetting that the canes have to be pushed through a sufficient distance to enable them to be pushed into the ground at the other end!). Maybe large enough staples can be bought that will allow a cane to be pushed through without having to splay them - if so I haven't seen any. Hammer the (splayed) staples into the beam at 9" or whatever spacing you prefer along both sides of the beam. Fix the beam atop the uprights and then simply go along and locate the thin end of the cane into the staples and simply push the other end into the soil.
When you take them down obviously reverse the procedure. No winding string and tying knots at an uncomfortable height etc. and the job is done in minutes. If you rotate your crops, making the structure from poles that will fit easily into plastic tubing of some sort (the sort that some fruit tree suppliers provide to push a tree stake into?) will make the job easier since the tubing can be left in the ground until they're needed again and the framework is easily and quickly re-erected. A little ingenuity may be required for a quick fix and release system for the cross beam shouldn't be too taxing.

Eric Hardy:
Quite intriguing Trevor! I think we will stick to our time honoured method which has gone on so many years it is almost a tradition. I put them up, Anthea takes them down! :)

ideasguy:
I have to say I am impressed with your technique Trevor.
With your approval, its one for the www.ideasforgardens.com website!
A sketch would be great, or better still a photo.

Ive another one for you.
How do you store sticks used for a multitude of applications in the garden?
When I prune, I put the crooked branches through the shredder and keep straight lengths - anything from 12ins to 5 ft and more.

roiphil:
That is a very good idea, this year the wife (she who must be obeyed  ;D ) has persuaded  ;) me to have a veggy patch for next year, and since i had a digger a couple of weeks ago i dug the ground over with that, then come spring time i will just rotavate it, and plants some tatties, onions etc the stuff that we eat, no cabbage i cant stand cabbage, but i love brussels strange as a brussel is a little cabbage ;D
Phil

Lyn and Malcolm:


--- Quote ---How do you store sticks used for a multitude of applications in the garden?

--- End quote ---

Large tubes either vertically or horizontaly, we use them both in the shed.
If you cut the tubes just under the length of stick makes it easy to get them out. We have 3 foot, 4 foot etc

Tubes can be something like the inner core that carpets are wound on, or gutter down pipe for the small sticks etc.

Malcolm

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