Pole Beans

MikeInCypress · May 14, 2019

Every year I have this problem. My Pole Beans out grow their poles. I have bean plants that have reached the top of my 8' above ground poles and haven't flowered or set. Is there anything I can do to make them flower and set? or not grow so high so early?

MikeInCypress

saltmarsh · May 14, 2019

Hi Mike

Could be too much fertilizer. Neighbor planted in well rotted cotton gin leavings; beautiful plants, no beans.

I grow on a 7' trellis. Rows run North to South. The beans (rattlesnake) grow to the top of the trellis and make a crop rest a week and grow back down the trellis and make a second crop. When they are finished cut the vines at the ground and allow to dry, then you can crumble them off.

Claud

brownrexx · May 14, 2019

Some of my dry beans bloom early and some bloom late. I know that some beans will bloom in response to day length.

Are the beans you are planting intended for your area? The ones that I grow called Bolitas are really a New Mexico bean but they seem to do OK for me in PA, they just bloom later than my other beans.

Tormato · May 14, 2019

With a few hundred pole varieties under my belt, my observations are that most start blooming about 2-3 feet above the soil line. The vines are probably at about 5 feet or higher at this time. Rarely, but it happens, I'll have plants bloom at about 1 foot above the soil line.

Blue Lake Pole is one exception. The first blooms are usually at about 5- 6 feet up.

Nematode · May 14, 2019

Cornell says
"Pod set is often poor when temperatures exceed 90 F."
Might be a factor in the south

http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/hom...scene8f63.html

Tormato · May 14, 2019

Mike,

What variety or varieties do you plant?

Worth1 · May 14, 2019

The reason I went to bush beans, to darn hot.
Plus less plants for more gathering at one time.

MikeInCypress · May 14, 2019

Gary,
I plant Musica, Hunter, and an Italian Yellow. The really tall ones are Musica. It hasn't been 90 degrees yet and the soil is not overly rich. I just do'n't know.

MikeInCypress

MikeInCypress · May 18, 2020

This year I used Bean Towers from Gardener's Supply. Just over 6 ' high . Musica and a French Yellow both got to the top but this year beans set from the bottom. Have picked about 4 lbs so far. And it looks like I will have at least 2 more pickings.

MikeInCypress

Tropicalgrower · May 31, 2020

ok.I went ahead and ordered some seeds.I am sure they will do fine.

Jeannine Anne · June 17, 2020

I have some that are 6 feet and just setting flowers

May 14, 2019	#1
MikeInCypress Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Cypress, TX Posts: 963	Pole Beans Every year I have this problem. My Pole Beans out grow their poles. I have bean plants that have reached the top of my 8' above ground poles and haven't flowered or set. Is there anything I can do to make them flower and set? or not grow so high so early? MikeInCypress __________________ "Growing older, not up"

May 14, 2019	#8
MikeInCypress Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Cypress, TX Posts: 963	Gary, I plant Musica, Hunter, and an Italian Yellow. The really tall ones are Musica. It hasn't been 90 degrees yet and the soil is not overly rich. I just do'n't know. MikeInCypress __________________ "Growing older, not up"

May 18, 2020	#9
MikeInCypress Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Cypress, TX Posts: 963	This year I used Bean Towers from Gardener's Supply. Just over 6 ' high . Musica and a French Yellow both got to the top but this year beans set from the bottom. Have picked about 4 lbs so far. And it looks like I will have at least 2 more pickings. MikeInCypress __________________ "Growing older, not up"

May 31, 2020	#10
Tropicalgrower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Zone 7 Southern Oregon Posts: 187	ok.I went ahead and ordered some seeds.I am sure they will do fine. __________________ I soiled my plants. Last edited by Tropicalgrower; June 1, 2020 at 03:22 PM.

May 14, 2019	#2
saltmarsh Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: 2 miles south of Yoknapatawpha Zone 7b Posts: 662	Hi Mike Could be too much fertilizer. Neighbor planted in well rotted cotton gin leavings; beautiful plants, no beans. I grow on a 7' trellis. Rows run North to South. The beans (rattlesnake) grow to the top of the trellis and make a crop rest a week and grow back down the trellis and make a second crop. When they are finished cut the vines at the ground and allow to dry, then you can crumble them off. Claud

May 14, 2019	#3
brownrexx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Southeastern PA Posts: 1,420	Some of my dry beans bloom early and some bloom late. I know that some beans will bloom in response to day length. Are the beans you are planting intended for your area? The ones that I grow called Bolitas are really a New Mexico bean but they seem to do OK for me in PA, they just bloom later than my other beans.

May 14, 2019	#4
Tormato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MA Posts: 4,971	With a few hundred pole varieties under my belt, my observations are that most start blooming about 2-3 feet above the soil line. The vines are probably at about 5 feet or higher at this time. Rarely, but it happens, I'll have plants bloom at about 1 foot above the soil line. Blue Lake Pole is one exception. The first blooms are usually at about 5- 6 feet up.

May 14, 2019	#5
Nematode Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: massachusetts Posts: 1,710	Cornell says "Pod set is often poor when temperatures exceed 90 F." Might be a factor in the south http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/hom...scene8f63.html

May 14, 2019	#7
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	The reason I went to bush beans, to darn hot. Plus less plants for more gathering at one time.

June 17, 2020	#11
Jeannine Anne Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 1,553	I have some that are 6 feet and just setting flowers