If you installed metal t-posts, you could attach Johnny's Hortonova trellis to the T-posts and have a good strong support for your pole beans. You'll have a stronger set-up if you support some of the T-posts front and back, especially posts at end of rows. Re-bars pounded into ground right up against T-posts will do the trick and help prevent T-posts from leaning/falling over in a storm. I've used the Hortonova netting and have been pleased with it. Johnny's also have it in smaller length, plus a similar product called Trellinet . I like the 6 x 6 inch holes that are large enough for my hands when harvesting. (Hortonova/Trellinet's width = your installation's height.) Home D. has T-posts (garden Dept.) and re-bars (w/cement and the like). You'll need a small sledgehammer (cement dept), and cable ties (electrical dept) for attaching the netting to the posts.

If they are both from the same species, and most snap beans, both pole and bush, are from the phaseolus vulgaris species, then they can cross. Having said that, I have to admit, that in 24 years of saving bean seeds, I might have seen such a cross, just once. And, the first couple of years I didn't give my beans any isolation distance. So crosses with these beans, though possible, are not awfully common. If you can give the two kinds of beans even 15' of space between them, especially with something tall growing between them, then you are probably not going to see a cross. Also, if you can't do this, I wouldn't discourage you from saving seed. Just try to do it in the future and be sure to weed out any plants with atypical growth or fruit, in the next generation. I'm pretty sure that some varieties of beans are more prone to crossing than others. This year I'm trying to make a cross between two greasy beans, so I planted them, mixed, on the same poles and will replant seed next year. But even having done that, I expect that at least 99% of what I plant next year will still breed true to the original two varieties. Hope this helps! George Tahlequah, OK

I've seen this tendency fo the first time this year since I was trying to grow older heirloom bush beans. A lot of older varieties appear to make runners and will grow up if given support. Bountiful bush for example appears to be a half-runner. It latched onto taller plants nearby and hauled itself onto a neighboring empty trellis. However, the tallest vines on this one are only about chest height. This being the case, do you like the flavor and texture of the beans your plant has produced so far? If it is just now making beans (my poles are just starting up) give it a chance and taste some. It could become your new favorite bean.

For pole dry beans: Brita's Foot Long (white seeded, similar to Great Northern in size) Dolloff (a New England native) some of the pole Cranberry beans I have also grown several heirlooms with high dry seed yields. Striped Cornfield is a cranberry type, with nearly round seeds packed tightly in short pods. Sargas has seeds that start out golden yellow, and darken to orange-brown. Bosnian Pole has a high yield whether used as Romano-type snaps, or as dry beans. Under good conditions, any of the above should produce about 2 pounds from an eight foot row. Some pole snap beans can also produce large amounts of seed if let go (such as the KY Wonder) but the taste & texture can vary from good, to bland, to unpleasant. KY Wonder White (a.k.a. Pole 191) is a snap whose seeds are plentiful & nearly indistinguishable from Brita's Foot Long, but inferior in flavor.