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[Clansgian AT wmconnect.com]

> >Can they climb metal?  

Since you mentioned "scorching summer sun", one caution is that if you are 
in a very hot climate, the metal can heat up enough to damage the vines.

We don't get that scorching here, so I gather saplings and branches 12 to 
14 feet long, an inch or so in diameter.  Along a 4' field fence I weave the 
poles into the wire and the beans climb up the fence and then keep going to 
the top of the poles.  The beans that are within reach of the ground or step 
ladder are picked off as snap beans and the ones too far up are left to dry 
for shell beans.

Pole beans will produce all season if they are kept picked, but when the 
over tall vines matrue seeds at the top, it signals the vine to die.  When 
the 
leaves are yellow head high, I plant more beans at the base and by the time 
the ones at the top are through, new vines are creeping up the old haulms.  
I' ve gotten four crops in the same spot some years by which time the spent 
haulms are a thick mat and ready to be taken down for mulch.

Don't forget that if you overproduce beans, they are excellent animal feed.

James</HTML>