2025 Little Easy Bean Network - Growers Of The Future Will Be Glad We Saved

[Branching Out]

Yesterday I planted out 3 week old seedlings of Koronis Purple, a bush dry bean. The area had layer of Ginko leaf mulch, which I removed and placed it in a bucket before planting. In a few days I'll put the mulch back, to shade the roots. This bed is at the bottom of a hot, dry slope that only has sun until late August, so I'm hoping the plants can put out a crop and dry down by then.

 

[flowerbug]

...This bed is at the bottom of a hot, dry slope that only has sun until late August, so I'm hoping the plants can put out a crop and dry down by then.

from nosing around i see a mention of planting to mid-June so you should get some kind of return.

i've grown many RL purple beans and some others of his too and they seem to be pretty reliable.

 

[ruralmamma]

All the direct-seeded beans are up and doing great. I've been using castor oil to deter voles and haven't seen any signs of them (fingers crossed) for several weeks, but I think the cats and our new flock of chickens are partly responsible for that. Potted plants are doing great in the greenhouse and I'll be moving them outside today under partial shade to prepare them for their new home. After three weeks of rain, we are to finally get some sunny but very hot (90°+) days.

 

[flowerbug]

yeah, we're gonna bake this week here too Sat-Wed...

 

[Million Bells]

We are going to hit 100 degrees this weekend (at least on the feels like scale.) And during the heat wave, we will actually have a week of sunny weather. It has been rained nearly every day this month.

Some of the Hopi purple string beans are semi-runners, those are flowering well. The Taylor dwarf horts were the first to bloom and I already have green bean sized pods on them, but I am waiting for shellies.

Of the pole beans, Ukrainian pole beans, moro and forelle fleiderfarben have outgrown their supports already, and had another tomato cage stacked on top. The Ukrainian poles are blooming, but only seem to have one bud per leaf node. I've pinched several back to see if I that will help production.

Tomatoes love the hot days, but the Hatch hot peppers don't like the wetness. Deer grazed the black raspberry canes again, and this time took some of the ripening berries! Rain keeps washing away the repellant. So far the fox is keeping the bunnies and voles under control.

 

[flowerbug]

it will be a challenge to get this last garden weeded and planted soon, but as it is outside the fence it may all get eaten by deer, etc. anyways. so while it will get weeded at some point i am not going to fret too much if it takes me a week or two longer - not when the steamy temperatures are on tap...

 

[flowerbug]

... So far the fox is keeping the bunnies and voles under control.

do your Hatch chilis come out tasting ok? i've not grown them here yet (and probably won't), but i'm curious how it goes when they aren't in their original prime growing region (and yes, i've had them many times out there ).

as for critter control we have a few kitties that wander around at times but they are not "regular" where i see them all the time and they certainly do not keep up with the chipmunks, rabbits or groundhogs... but i'm sure they help somewhat.

 

[Million Bells]

My Hatch chilis taste about the same as the canned ones. Usually they aren't as hot as I'd like, but I add a Thai pepper or two and that fixes that.

 

[heirloomgal]

The twining of the pole beans begins, and the award for earliest spinner goes to 'Vitalis', a variety sent to me from Spain. Wow, I can't help but wonder if the origin of the name is 'vitality'? It's super vigorous and probably already 3 feet tall at such a young age. Runners up goes to network bean 'Barry Island', which is also spinning around the pole and 'Pisterzo', a variety from Italy. I see a lot of others reaching, and getting those adventurous little tips.

I'm hoping this heatwave and the very warm nights are going to make things really move quickly.