North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Patsy King <pking888@gmail.com>]

Hi there!  I read somewhere the suggestion to use what are called "cattle panels"  (very strong sections of fencing), bending the sections into an arc shape that is tall enough to walk under.  Plant the beans at each end.  I am not sure how hard it would be to bend those fencing panels, but if too difficult, it seems to me any reasonably strong fencing might work, possibly even field fencing.  The cut ends would be in the ground, and you could line up as many sections as desired.  If the fencing was not strong enough, it would probably be an easy matter to take pairs of 10-foot poles and lash them near the tops teepee style, and position each pole alongside the arch, on on each side, to give strength.  I've been wanting to try this system.  Now that the subject has come up, maybe I'll remember to try it this coming year!
--Patsy King

Message: 9
Date: Sun, 5 Dec 2010 08:47:38 -0600
From: "Jim Fruth" <jimfruth@charter.net>
To: "NAFEX" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: [NAFEX] space for pole beans
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   I plant my pole beans under a seven foot fence because that is as high
as I can reach.  Trouble is, they become so over-crowded on top that they
stop producing (at the top).  Judging from the length of the stems in the
over-crowded area, a ten foot high trellis would be better.  Rather than get
on a ladder to pick the pods, I'm considering  making the trellis at a slant
or long arc.  My existing fence is composed of two 3'6" high fence sections
so my next task will be to add another section and try to figure out how to
erect them into an arc.

Jim Fruth
Brambleberry Fruit Farm