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wertach2

Twine, a beat to death subject, but a search didn't help.

I searched for sisal twine without results. Any one use it for their runners? I have a big roll but don't want to use it if it stretches too much.

Comments (17)

  • fusion_power
    11 years ago

    Sisal twine works fine for bean strings but only if used vertically. If you stretch long horizontal strings, then it will stretch about 3 feet per 100 feet of length. I make a bean trellis by putting up 8 ft T-posts with a post each 25 feet in the row. Then run a horizontal piece of heavy electric fence wire at the top of the posts and another about 15 inches above the ground. Twist a piece of wire around the posts to attach the top and bottom wires to the in-row posts. Then zig-zag sisal twine from the top wire to the bottom wire with a strand roughly each 2 to 3 feet depending on how thick your beans are planted. I put anchors at each end of the row and tie the top of the posts to the anchors to prevent sagging. When properly constructed, the beans are safe for any normal wind velocity. In other words, a tornado would take it out, but if you have a tornado, I suggest worrying about something else besides the beans.

    DarJones

  • wertach zone 7-B SC
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks!

  • drloyd
    11 years ago

    I got tired of spending $40 or more a year for all these little balls of jute twine from the hardware store.

    So I called up a nearby farm supply and asked if they had any natural fiber baler twine. They asked me how much I needed and I told them a couple thousand feet.

    They said they have 7200 feet for $37. Sounded really good to me so I went over there. They had this huge package waiting for me with two enormous rolls in it. They wanted to know if I needed help carrying it to the car!

    It turned out that it was so bulky and heavy because the twine is very thick. Almost rope. Beans should love that. - Dick

  • fusion_power
    11 years ago

    Dick, that is what I use. They make the hay baling twine in two sizes, one is 16,000 feet on two rolls and the other is 9000 feet on two rolls. I use the 9000 feet size. I didn't even know you could get it in smaller rolls.

    DarJones

  • zeedman Zone 5 Wisconsin
    11 years ago

    I think my local Farm & Fleet sells three grades; I'll have to check next time I'm there. After trying the thinnest grade with poor results (it kept breaking before season's end), I now use the next grade up. There is one that is even thicker (which may be the one Dick purchased) but for me, it is too hard to tie off easily.

    Like Fusion, I use the natural twine for verticals. It has been my observation that some beans (such as yardlongs) climb more readily on natural materials. If used for horizontal string, sisal will stretch & sag under weight.

    My trellis design also uses horizontal strings for added strength, but I use the orange plastic baler twine for that.

  • drloyd
    11 years ago

    We ended up using just over one roll or about 4000 feet. It appears that I had the heaviest of four types of sisal baler twine.

    7200 feet per bale is 185 feet per pound.
    9000 feet per bale is 231 feet per pound.
    10000 feet per bale is 255 feet per pound.
    16000 feet per bale is 410 feet per pound.

    All the bales have two rolls and weigh the same, 40 pounds. Next time I will look for a 9000 or 10000 foot bale - Dick

  • jolj
    11 years ago

    We had horses & cattle on the farm, we bought & baled hay.
    The twine will hold up in all kinds of weather for over a year.
    My Father in Law used it to hold up his pants in the hay field.

  • drloyd
    10 years ago

    Bill Best says that he uses Intergro brand synthetic GroTie Twine for tomatoes and beans. He does not use it for more than one season because it is too hard to remove the vines.

    I did remove the vines from that very heavy sisal twine that I used last summer. It is still up on the trellises and appears to still be in good condition. I want to see how it does for a second summer. - Dick

  • drloyd
    10 years ago

    The heavy 7200 feet per bale sisal twine still looked good after going through the winter on the trellises. So I decided to take a chance and use it a second year. It held up just fine. Dick

  • wertach zone 7-B SC
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I used the sisal twine and it worked great. Although I should have went higher than 6'.

    It is rotting now, but that will be better for me.

    It will make clean up easier. I can just pull out the poles and the electric fence wire that I weaved it around. Then plow it all under to get it ready for my winter cover crop.

    I have a new plan for next year. I have about 40' of CRW that I am going to make arches with.

  • beesneeds
    10 years ago

    This year I used two twines- sisal twine, and twine I made from braiding recycled plastic shopping bags. The twine I made was an experiment, and I wanted to use "regular" twine to compare. I used the thin stuff you can get at the local hardware store because that's about the same size as the plastic twine I made.

    The twine I made held up much better on the trellis than the sisal. Much less stretching, and held up under weight better. Now I'm leaving the stuff up over the winter to see what it looks like come spring.

  • sweetquietplace
    10 years ago

    I have braided sisal twine in the past when I needed extra heft. Works fine and dandy.

  • jim42
    10 years ago

    Check with someone in your area that has a dairy herd. They use twine by the tons and after cutting the bales lose, they often burn the twine to get rid of it. I have friends with milk cows and others in the race horse business that save me strings and I return the favor with a few garden veggies. Win, win situation. My top wire for my pole beans is about 6' off the ground with 2 more wires at the lower levels. I tie the strings on the top wire and just throw a loop around the lower ones. Been working well for me for 50 years.

    Best pole beans I have found are Dr. Martin. Good green Lima and good when they dry out.

    In the fall, I use hedge clippers to cut the main bean stalk at each wire, then pile them up and burn them or if it's wet, I haul them to the woods.

  • jim42
    10 years ago

    These are the Dr. Martin beans that will be on our Thanksgiving Dinner table. Well worth the work that was put in the garden.

    Have a great Thanksgiving.

  • drloyd
    9 years ago

    We found that the 7200 foot bale of bailer twine worked fine for two seasons here south of Seattle if it is not in contact with dirt. We decided to continue with that and we have restrung our trellises with more of the same. - Dick

  • zeedman Zone 5 Wisconsin
    9 years ago

    I would hope that the 7200 would hold up well... hard to tell if that stuff is large twine, or small rope. ;-)

  • drloyd
    9 years ago

    When I bought the bale, I commented that it looked more like rope!

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