Supporting Runner Beans

They are now more than ready to plant out (because I`m waiting/hoping for rain-some hopes) but I can`t get any canes into the ground. I`ve tried wetting the ground several nights running,top looks wet but it clearly hasn`t softened anything deeper than 1-2". I`ve tried boring holes by bashing in a thinnner metal stick and hoping the canes would follow-either they still don`t go very deep or they do but they are loose,so that`s no good. Anyone got any ideas about how else I might support them?

 

Its more about what kind of structure you want to build, the canes dont have to be dead solid in the ground just a decent depth, then you form a wigwam type shape or a row but tied together at the top or middle, its creating a structure that gives the support strength.

 

Annoyingly I don`t seem to be getting email notifications.
TY to the couple of people who replied.
I`m so set in my routines I hadn`t even thought of wigwams! Doh! I could easily have done a couple instead of two rows leaning towards each other. TY for reminding me-lesson learned. Although I think i`d still have had to soak the ground.Canes were barely penerating at all.
We finally got some rain-even that didn`t soften the soil enough.I had been watering at night as if there was crop in there, no extra effort since I had to water everything already there anyway-not enough-didn`t go very deep,clearly. After the rains also proved not enough for most of the canes-I soaked it- and went about my business for an hour leaving the hose on. Clearly my evening soakings weren`t long enough! An hour did the trick probably also helped by having tried to push canes into guide holes made with a metal pole. By themself the guide holes didn`t work but they may have helped the water penetrate. I will also put sturdier shorter fat sticks at the ends(possibly the middle canes too?) and tie the taller canes to them to offer more strength. Problem solved. My bean plants wil be relieved as will I;they are currently hardening off on a potting table under a tree and in danger of curling themselves round the lower branches!!

 

Just seen this thread @Krista and bit concerned as to how hard your soil is, assume it must be thick Clay to have hardened so much ! ?

The thing is Runner Beans like, love, need a very rich soil to give good results.
The old ways were to dig a trech of soil out and fill it full of good garden compost, old newspapers etc to ensure they got plenty of food and a structure that holds the water they need.

As you still had to struggle to get the canes in we wonder what chance the young plants have got to get going in such a heavy soil ?

It it possible to dig some larger than needed holes to plant them in and fill that extra space with some good compost to help them get established ?

"Annoyingly I don`t seem to be getting email notifications."

Go to your Profile page and check all the settings/notification and your email address are correct; and check they have not gone to your Spam folder.

 

I must admit if the soil is so compacted that you cant get a cane in the ground then beans are going to struggle.