# Planting under bean trellis. Yay or Nay?



## BradSmalley (Feb 21, 2013)

I joined this forum for the sole purpose of asking this question. I currently have 19 4'x8' raised beds out in the garden and I had an idea Id like to try but thought Id get some expert opinions before I did. Sort of following Davy Crockett's credo "Be sure youre right, then go ahead"

Im planning on building an A-frame bean trellis that will be approx 6.5' high on center, runing lengthwise down the bed. My idea is to plant early season veggies down the center run such as cauliflour, broccoli, raddishes, and/or beets. Im sure someone somewhere has attempted this space saver, Im just curious as to your results. Any suggestions other than what Ive mentioned or experienced results good or bad? 

Thanks and its nice to be a part of this group, I plan on sticking around.


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## frankva (May 21, 2009)

Beets might be quick enough. Spinach. Lettuce.

I have done this sort of thing and mistimed it. Cukes ready to climb a trellis before peas were done with it...


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

I agree with Frankva. I'm sure many people have done this with much success. 

But I have some questions first.

Are you thinking - plant the early crops under FIRST...then plant the beans on the trellis? So you would harvest the early crops before planting the beans? Or are you thinking the shade of the beans will help the early crops continue to produce? What are you covering the trellis with- wire or strings?

1. I think your trellis will need to be wider if you plan on getting under there to tend the early plantings. Unless you plan on reaching through strings. Then it can be done but not easily. If you're using wire - it won't work. 

2. If might work well, if you plant the early crops closer to the beans under the trellis and leave the taller middle space open to walk in (I wasn't smart enough to do that). Either way, 4 feet isn't much space to work in with trellis poles slanting down, early plantings to not step on and beans in your face. You'll end up on your knees under there even as tall as it is - which is how I usually garden anyway. But I guess that depends on your size. The beans aren't as well behaved as some of the garden pictures might have you believe.

3. Cauliflower (at least the kind I grow)will get too big under there to work around and I'm not sure how well it will do in the shade. I've had much more success with both broccoli and cauliflower as fall crops. Plant them in August with a bit of shade cloth over them for a few days and let the ripen into the cool of late fall. Less bugs too.

4. I used an old swing set once for this. It worked - but I still had to creep around under there. Any chance you have some pint-sized gardeners around? They might LOVE a garden under there.

5. I found the shade underneath didn't really help my early crops continue growing much. But I was gardening in the heat/humidity of TN at the time.

6. An A-frame trellis might work better with beans up the *one *side that will shade the plants underneath from full sun. Or up the other with a sun-loving plant like cukes under. 

7. After much experimentation, straight up and down trellises are much easier for me to use. The beans grow up just fine. They don't need any help. When I need to shade something, it's easier to just use shade cloth. There's still room to plant something on the other side of them easily in my 4-foot beds.

8. An a-frame, covered with plastic, would be a good cover over some tomato plants in late fall. How about planting the beans on the far side and some late tomatoes near but not on the sunny side of the trellis? when the beans are finished cover with plastic and harvest tomatoes later.

9.I had the same trouble as Frankva. When I tried peas then beans on the same trellis, the 2nd plants needed to go in well before the 1st had been completely harvested. Sometimes before they even started producing. I keep them on separate trellises now.


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## City Bound (Jan 24, 2009)

I would try lettuce under the a-frame because you could get one crop of lettuce before the beans get big enough and then you can plant a second crop under the frame in summer and the frame with shade and cool the lettuce so it does not bolt.

I would try Chive also, even though they spread, because chive like cool and a little shade.


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## lhspirited (Jan 31, 2010)

I recommend also considering Hakurei Turnips. They will grow fast in cool weather (about 45 days). They are delicious, not your usual turnip. They have outstanding flavor. The seeds are available at Johnny's and other places, even Amazon.com


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## woody (Jul 17, 2007)

I use a cattle panel bent into an arch. 16' panel with the ends at 6' apart gives me about 6.5' of headroom. I've planted lettuce, broccoli, swiss chard under the arch. As the beans grow up and shade the greens it tends to help keep them from bolting in the heat of the summer. I will never have a garden without a bean arch. It makes picking the beans so easy too.

http://woodysrockyridge.wordpress.com/2012/06/23/garden-summer-solstice/
http://woodysrockyridge.wordpress.com


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## imthedude (Jun 7, 2011)

My two cents:

I tried it last year. There wasn't enough space under the trellis to comfortably and effectively work the crop growing under the trellis. Great concept but even in my 5' wide beds there's not enough space to do it right. I won't do it again or will do something different than this arrangement to coplant.


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