Trevor's Kitchen Garden How I grow my own food and how you can too.

The mild November (2011) weather has resulted in the Autumn sown broad beans growing faster than I expected. The plants are now tall enough to be blown over in a strong wind. Rather than stake each one and tie each plant to a cane (life is too short for that!), I have created a type of ‘boxing ring with bamboo canes. The garden string is wrapped around the boundary canes and then a square grid of strings cross the ‘ring’. The lattice in the picture is half finished but gives the idea. The more string used, the better the support provided. Another string grid a foot higher up the canes is the next job to support the beans as they get taller. Like a boxer on the ropes, the broad beans may be buffeted by wind but the strings will prevent the broad beans from being blown over. When Spring returns, I am hopeful the bean plants will continue to grow upward and be productive.