If I cut my tired pole beans down to about 3 feet tall, strip any remaining fruit off the vines, and side dress them with a little fertilizer, will they put on a new flush of growth and give me a fall crop? Or will the severe pruning kill them? Thanks.
Bob
You would be better off just planting new seeds Bob. I've never seen any that are played out recover enough to produce new beans.
George
In my experience, some varieties put out a tremendous first flush, then go silent for a while, then they recover and offer a second smaller flush. Others have a more constant yield, longer first flush but smaller overall yield. My solution is to plant five different varieties, from ultra early to late season. Then the overall production averages out some. I let some plants go to seed and by now the beans I save are quite mixed. I recommend one of the romano varieties for ultra early, violet types for early, and Blue Lake types for later. You have to keep them picked, of course. If you have only one variety, just wait, there will be a second flush. You could also plant scarlet runner beans, which are pole like in nature, good for string or shelling, and quite a performer.
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