Kitchen Garden Forum

Thought you would all have a look at this one!

Can anyone suggest the quickiest method of stripping runner beans from their canes please?

Cut the bean at ground level, disconnect the cane from the other canes.
Pull the cane out of the ground, lift the bottom of the cane to above waist height and using a gloved left hand to encircle the cane and hold back the beanstalk, pull the cane out of the beanstalk with the right hand.

PS I thought you were onto fancy painting with stripes rather than stripping, of ANY variety.

Sorry Peter, dictionary is rubbish,

Did this yesterday - I sort of used a variation of Peter's method.

I do find this one of autumn's more frustrating jobs as I have a single row of canes fairly close together, and they always end up being tangled up with each other. I like to try and leave the roots in so cut at the root first and then try and strip the cane as if I were shelling peas but it's not as simple as it sounds when they're all interwoven. And they're so difficult to chop up. Last year I dug them all tangled up into a trench where this Spring's beans were going to be located and they all rotted down nicely over the winter but they/re very untidy foliage to deal with.

Dear donedigging

I'm so surprised Old Herbaceous's interest in stripping has not been stirred
Seriously, though, I use the same method as others have suggested.

Thank you that have replied, but my problem is very similar to Primrose's, they all tangle together.
So much harder work.

Alan, perhaps OH hasn't posted, as he went to Simon Cowells birthday party and saw enough "stripping"

I was trying my hardest to be on my best behaviour, as it was the harvest supper and sale tonight.
But now that is over, i just rip them down, regarding the beans.