TRAINING A RUNNER BEAN ON A WASHING LINE

Climbing plants have a mind of their own and grow where they will, unless we step in and take control.  I was once growing a Wisley Magic runner bean plant up a tall cane.  The cane was in a large container, close against a fence, and then the bean outgrew the cane and, before I realised it, began to wrap itself along the nearby washing line.  I did nothing to stop it.

Runner bean growing along a washing line

Now, I know that a washing line, where you hang your laundry, might not be the best choice of places to train a runner bean but it's food for thought isn't it? Opens the imagination to many possibilities.  I mean, for example, if you have an unused washing line or place to suspend a washing line in your garden with the sole intention of using it for climbers, then Bob's your auntie.




My plan this year was to grow runner bean climbers up a black metal obelisk.  I germinated the seeds in pots, let them grow a while, then planted the healthy young plants out in the ground around the obelisk.  The slugs and snails ate all overnight (which I consider downright greedy) except for one plant which I managed to save by putting grit around it.  So, I guess I won't be having a heavy crop of runner beans this year.  I'll be lucky if I get one bean. 


Bumblebees like runner bean flowers

Speaking of washing lines, I took a photo of an orange ladybird on my clear white washing line and a photo of ice surrounding my old washing line which was going rusty in the middle.  See below.

Halyzia sedecimguttata - Orange Ladybird



Ice surrounding a clear plastic washing line with a (rusting) metal core