2019 Little Easy Bean Network - Come And Reawaken The Thrill Of Discovery

@Bluejay77

I've been giving it some though and I have changed my mind. I am willing to try and grow Ice Cream Sandwich, if you are willing to let me try. As is seems no one else is interested, I feel I might as well give it my best. Let's both hope it is a short day length lablab.

I was really surprised at how well the labels inside the bags lasted, a couple were left till spring and I could still read them, Still I think a marked diagram is prudent.

For absolutely permanent markers I cut a piece of metal roofing and etch it with a Drimmel tool, mostly I only do that for fruit trees, grape vines and other more permanent plants.

@Pulsegleaner, Ok I will send you some of the "Ice Cream Sandwich" seed, and we will see what happens.

Ridgerunner said:

...I don't plant as many different varieties as other people.... I try to give enough room so they don't grow together but occasionally I can get a pole bean that goes crazy.

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I always plant a lot of beans but this is the most I'v had for grow outs, I don't care so much about isolation or records on my beans, I just remember what they are and some are so mixed up I don't even know what they are.

They are in the ground now separated by about five feet, so no commingling on the trellis. Space between will soon have dahlias, bumblebees love dahlias so that will keep them occupied and wash them with dahlia pollen between bean visits.

Running West to East in two rows are:
Row 1 - Kilham Goose * Karachanganack * Nez Perce * Witsa * Mangetout Pleine Le Panier * Wide Pod White Greasy
Row 2 - Piatella * Chocolate * Veense

I'm running out of space so might have to sacrifice growing my KY Wonders this year in favor of a nice grow out of Refugee.

@reedy,

Just curious how long are your rows? Did you plant most of the seed of each of those varieties? You should take some photos of your bean rows when they start to climb on your trellis and post your photos here. Would be fun to see your garden.

The grow out beans are in the main garden, it is about 80 feet south to north but irregular the other way, about 65 feet wide at north end, down to about 50 at south end. Rows isn't really accurate, it is a series of permanent beds about 3 feet wide running all the way across.

My trellises for the the semi runners are circular sections of five foot woven wire, like people often use for tomatoes. They are some what flattened so they extend across the three foot bed and about a foot wide. So what I got are basically double rows 3 feet long and 1 foot apart for each kind. They would have all fit in one bed but as you move east to west that corner comes into the shade and root zone of a good sized oak tree. I mostly use that area under the tree, (the north west corner) for composting and things I grow in pots on top the ground, sweet potatoes do well like that. North of the beans is currently an empty bed, then perennial onions.

As you move south you come to the next three foot wide bed, currently in early potatoes and overwintered turnips going to seed. Tender young turnip seed pods are a delicacy in my opinion. Corn will likely go there later.

Then is the primary east / west access path big enough to easily maneuver my tiller and carts. After that are four wider but a little shorter beds and finally at the south end another narrow one. Another bigger row of potatoes, radishes, peppers, lettuce, carrots and other miscellaneous things are growing there but also a lot of empty space. A big tomato patch, corn, squash and who knows what will go there soon.

The back garden has not been prepped yet this year, tiller was broke for awhile and it was awfully wet for a long time. This garden is about 60 feet by 60 feet. Most of my old beans, cow peas, limas, more corn and squash will go there. Perennial garlic, grape vines, peach trees and some other stuff live outside the fence just north of it.

I also allow other flowers besides my dahlias here and there, marigolds, gladiolas, sun flowers and herbs too, It really is pretty when it all gets going good, even if I say so myself. I was thinking I should take more pictures and I'll make a better effort to do that this year.

reedy said:

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I also allow other flowers besides my dahlias here and there, marigolds, gladiolas, sun flowers and herbs too, It really is pretty when it all gets going good, even if I say so myself. I was thinking I should take more pictures and I'll make a better effort to do that this year.

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sounds very nice to me, would love to see pictures too.

Bluejay77 said:

@Decoy1,

Your Rattlesnake (photo on the left of your post) looks exactly like the one we have. The seed shape and color and tone match well. The Bohnen-Atlas Rattlesnake looks like a runner bean, phaseolus coccineus named Rattlesnake.

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Yes, I guess the Bohnen-Atlas does look like a P coccineus. I’ll soon know!

Noted. I’ll give them all the care I can. So far germination rate is low (1 out of 5) but I’ll try pre-sprouting another small batch.