six runner beans in a grow bag?

[bigpepperplant]

I'm growing runner beans in a grow bag. I was just going to put three in but thought this morning, why don't I cram in six? Do you think they'll be ok or too crowded...?
thanks in advance

[Tigger]

Don't know 'cos I've never grown them in a growbag. However, you might be able to convert the recommendations for square foot gardening and adjust that to the volume of your growbag.

[Johnboy]

Hi BP,
I have grave doubts that there is enough soil in a growbag for that many Bean plants. However, having never had the need to try, I could be entirely wrong!
My thoughts are that there is insufficient nutrient in the bag and the plants will need a lot of suplementary feeding. Whether that makes for good quality good tasting Beans remains to be seen but unless you try you will never succeed! Go for it and if you see that they are not faring at all well you can always cull the weaker plants. Will be most interest in the outcome.

[Allan]

Don't forget to check the watering frequently, especially as the plants get bigger, as the reserve of water will be limited.
Tell us all how it goes
Allan

[oldherbaceous]

Morning Bigpepperplant, i think if i was going to put six plants to a bag, i would use two bags one on top of the other. cut the top out of one the bottom out of the other. This is a lot cheaper than buying the bigger grow bags.
As the others have said they will suffer in one bag.

Kind regards Old Herbaceous.

Theres no fool luke an old fool.

[bigpepperplant]

thanks for all that advice! It's for a friend who has limited space. I think, bearing in mind your caveats, I'll try it with only four beans. Don't want to risk giving her a total crop failure as well as watering nightmare. Do you think I should make drainage holes in the bag?

[bigpepperplant]

oh, and quick other thing, I'm planning on planting each bean in a bottomless pot which is then pushed into the growbag - like you do with tomatoes. So that should give them a bit more soil/water holding abilities