Pole Beans / Peas without a trellis

Has anyone tried growing pole beansor peas without a trellis?
I'm wondering if it would work as a ground cover in an around other vegetables. I grow bush beans around other plants but one plant only covers about 3 sq ft.

Not purposely, more by mistake and distraction.

If you're after maximum cropping, then use a trellis or poles - they are very susceptible to mildew and slug attack, so elevating them and providing good air flow is key.

Alternatively, you could combine the climbing type beans with bush beans - they grow thick and may suit your purpose.

Hi Ellanor,

The pole bean vines will grow on the ground usually just fine, only problem is, so will the beans. The bean pods growing on the ground means most of your beans will be in contact with soil or medium that grows pathogens, that can cause disease, plus hungery bugs and slugs can more easily access the bean pods, which opens the pods up to infection. This usually drastically reduces the bean harvest.

The peas depending on mature height,  can sometimes be grown in close enough proximity, that they act as trellis for each other. If your variety is 40 inches tall, a 40 inch wide row would be needed, with the vines planted close enough they can all lock tendrils, but like I said, this tends to work better with the shorter varieties. Some support is always best advised, even if its just two end row steaks with a string running down the row for support, as certian weather events can blow soft tissue plants over. Once your peas are on the grownd, they face the same problems as beans do.

Hope that helps!

I accidently grew Golden Gate pole beans on the ground. The main problem was slugs. They damaged most of the beans so that I couldn't sell them.

If you pick a commercial short pea they are fine without support, you could just grow bush beans instead of pole as they don't need support anywhich way.