depends on how big your pole beans are. if they have multiple leaves then you will have new growth leaders generate from the leaf joints. just give them some time. if they are brand new, and all you have left is a stem, then they will remain a stem.

keith

Depends on whether the cut point is above the cotyledons or below. There are some really old varieties of beans that were cultivated by letting the runners get about 2 feet tall, then cutting the tips off. The remaining part of the runner would set a new growing point at each leaf axil with the end result of a huge plant with very high production.

DarJones

I had the tops snipped off quite a few of my pole beans by a bird last year. They were about 8" tall, and there was a leaf or two still on the plants afterwards. Most of them did put out a new growing tip. It really slowed them down though.

Damn bird just went down the row pruning them - didnt eat them as the tops were laying there the following day.

Did the birds eat the cotyledons.

Jim