Beginner Gardening: Pole bean help please!, 1 by andycdn

andycdn wrote:
I think Shoe's comments are on the mark. I have a couple of other suggestions based on growing pole beans in the 80s and 90s at our family cottage (the garden has since been closed down, alas).

I always grew about twice as many plants as you have in that row, i.e., more thickly. They can take it, and you'll get better harvests. You could put another seed in between each of your existing plants. Once they sprout, they'll catch up in no time.

My other suggestion is about support. My pole beans grew as high as I had support for them, which was an old 2" copper pipe 8' off the ground. The vines grew up strings of jute tied to the bar and secured to the fence (see the photo, at the back of the garden). The fruit was borne on the top 4-5 feet, and that's where the strength was needed. I wonder about your chicken wire support and how you will harvest clusters of beans that grow between the wire and your fence. You could use twine instead and be able to reach all the beans.

BTW, on the left side of the garden are sugar snap peas. They also grew as high as they could!