Author Topic: Winter project beanpole time saver (Read 11208 times)

Trevor Ellis · « **on:** November 07, 2009, 12:45:57 PM »

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 · « **Reply #1 on:** November 07, 2009, 05:50:28 PM »

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 · « **Reply #2 on:** November 07, 2009, 08:51:35 PM »

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 · « **Reply #3 on:** November 08, 2009, 05:07:24 PM »

That is a very good idea, this year the wife (she who must be obeyed

) 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

Phil

Lyn and Malcolm · « **Reply #4 on:** November 08, 2009, 08:47:14 PM »

Quote

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

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

ideasguy · « **Reply #5 on:** November 08, 2009, 08:50:01 PM »

Yes, that sounds like quite good ideas Malcolm. Neat, thats for sure.
I presume your sticks are nice straight canes?

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #6 on:** November 08, 2009, 09:08:20 PM »

Quote from: ideasguy on November 07, 2009, 08:51:35 PM

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

Not nearly as neat and organised as Lyn and Malcolm but our short canes are stored upright in three plastic drums. Long canes lie horizintal on a series of wooden brackets fixed to the shed wall with veritical wooden lips to stop the canes rolling off.

ideasguy · « **Reply #7 on:** November 09, 2009, 07:55:44 AM »

The horizontal method would be good for my sticks Eric, as they are far from perfectly straight.
Not as easy to pick a stick from the horizontal shelf of course, but if the sticks in a tube were overcrowded (as they would certainly be after a pruning session:

) then they would also have some level of difficulty (to untangle) to select a suitable stick when required in a hurry.

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #8 on:** November 11, 2009, 05:22:46 PM »

That certainly looks as though it won't be blown over Trevor!

It looks a very sturdy structure. I think in our garden, where it is pretty sheltered and where the veggies take up little discreet corners I will stick to my canes. It would be super on an allotment. My neighbour is very keen on his allotment and where it is situated is very exposed to south westerlies so he might well be interested. I will show him.

The picture is a bit on the large side because a lot of scrolling is needed. I think Malcolm suggests about 600 pixels wide as being a good size. On the other hand I could see very well how the system works.

Eric H

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #9 on:** November 11, 2009, 05:26:28 PM »

I am a bit mystified

. I just posted a reply to a post of Trevor's and the post I was replying to has vanished

. In fact I was replying to three posts and a cross bar

NightHawk · « **Reply #10 on:** November 11, 2009, 05:40:33 PM »

Quote from: Eric Hardy on November 11, 2009, 05:22:46 PM

The picture is a bit on the large side because a lot of scrolling is needed. I think Malcolm suggests about 600 pixels wide as being a good size. On the other hand I could see very well how the system works.
Eric H

What photo are you referring to Eric? Currently, there are no photos in this topic.

I would say that 660 pixels wide is the maximum to display correctly on a 17 or 19 inch monitor without getting a scrollbar. Any wider and you would get a scrollbar (unless you have a widescreen monitor that is), but we must post photos for the non-widescreen monitors that are in use.

Laurie.

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #11 on:** November 11, 2009, 05:48:41 PM »

Hello Laurie, I am so sorry, that was a slip of the typing fingers. I meant to type Laurie and Malcolm came out. I was looking at a very large picture of the framework Trevor has devised. I think my next post answers your query about the picture. It vanished

Quote from: Eric Hardy on November 11, 2009, 05:26:28 PM

I am a bit mystified . I just posted a reply to a post of Trevor's and the post I was replying to has vanished . In fact I was replying to three posts and a cross bar

I apologise for the mix up. I have done it before

Cheers

Eric H

NightHawk · « **Reply #12 on:** November 11, 2009, 05:57:43 PM »

No problem Eric, we all have our 'moments' from time to time

The mystery of the disappearing framework huh

Now that's very spooky

Probably need to query Trevor on that one. How about it Trevor ?

Laurie.

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #13 on:** November 11, 2009, 06:01:41 PM »

Maybe Trevor thought the picture was too large and is working out how to post it smaller $:-\$

ideasguy · « **Reply #14 on:** November 11, 2009, 06:53:13 PM »

I can shed some light here. I spoke to Trevor on the phone today to give a few tips about posting a photo of the beanpole here.
It looks like he had a go and has removed it again.
Watch this space

Trevor Ellis · « **Reply #15 on:** November 11, 2009, 07:00:50 PM »

Quote from: Eric Hardy on November 11, 2009, 05:26:28 PM

I am a bit mystified . I just posted a reply to a post of Trevor's and the post I was replying to has vanished . In fact I was replying to three posts and a cross bar

Sorry Eric,

I couldn't get the image to reduce in GA051 for some reason. It was telling me that it was reduced but not sufficiently to accept. So I reduced in Gimp down to around 100+, which GA501 accepted but it came out as you saw - massive and very low quality. I guess I'll have to sort it out somehow. I did have a phone call from George earlier but I must have forgotten something or other. I'll try to sort it one way or another. If anyone has an 'idiot's guide' to how to do it that they can post rather than me having to remember it I'd be grateful. You're right about the method being useful for an exposed garden by the way. My former garden was, as you will see from the photograph (when it arrives on the forum!?), totally exposed to the east. I don't think that there was any shelter between it and the Urals in Russia.

Trevor

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #16 on:** November 11, 2009, 10:26:54 PM »

Well at least I have had the benefit of a preview, Trevor

. I will await with interest so that I can show my neighbour when it arrives.

I put my pictures on Flickr, so I find the easiest way is to get my picture up on Flickr, choose the size I want, copy the URL and paste it between the img /img signs.

Trevor Ellis · « **Reply #17 on:** November 11, 2009, 10:33:09 PM »

Quote from: ideasguy on November 07, 2009, 08:51:35 PM

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.

Trawling old shots taken at my former home, I found this one of bean poles just after they were erected. The canes aren't inserted into the staples which can just about be seen in the photograph but the idea is illustrated well enough perhaps. The upright poles were 8' sunk in about 18" and the crossbars were each 8' in length so with staples at each side this gave a total bean run of 32'.
Hopefully the image will appear with this note. I've not used the system to insert photographs before so please bear with me if anything goes wrong!

PS
I've had another chat with George and he's talked me through the process so the image is there now.
Many many thanks George.

PPS
When the 'tent' of beans are under way, it makes an excellent environment for growing parsley underneath in between the uprights.

Eric Hardy · « **Reply #18 on:** November 11, 2009, 10:38:14 PM »

Hooray, well done Trevor. Perfect

Now the others can see what I got a momentary glimpse of.

NightHawk · « **Reply #19 on:** November 11, 2009, 10:49:06 PM »

Thanks for persevering Trevor. You got a result and now we can all get a better understanding of your idea.

Laurie.

ideasguy · « **Reply #20 on:** November 11, 2009, 11:02:55 PM »

Excellent work Trevor

Trevor Ellis · « **Reply #21 on:** November 11, 2009, 11:08:42 PM »

Thanks for the encouragement guys - will send a close up image too though maybe it's not so necessary. But tomorrow - it's time for my dog's constitutional now!

Trevor

Trevor Ellis · « **Reply #22 on:** November 12, 2009, 10:42:24 PM »

Quote from: Trevor Ellis on November 11, 2009, 11:08:42 PM

- will send a close up image too though maybe it's not so necessary.

Just a close-up of the staples. Maybe large screweyes are available. If so, they would be even easier and quicker to insert into the cross bars.

ideasguy · « **Reply #23 on:** November 12, 2009, 11:04:27 PM »

That makes it very clear, Trevor. Its a very good photo

Tips like that are very welcome on the forum.

Author Topic: Winter project beanpole time saver (Read 11208 times)

NightHawk

NightHawk

NightHawk