2023 Little Easy Bean Network - Beans Beyond The Colors Of A Rainbow

[Blue-Jay]

Yes, it's to promote branching. I learned about it by accident; I had a semi-runner bean called Mr. Fearn's and I gave the plants large tomato supports to climb. But they climbed waaay too much, so I trimmed the tips several times to keep them on the cage, not above. Was one of the most productive beans that summer. I've pinched a few pole beans since then and it does seem to increase yields. Might be something to try as an experiment to. see what you get! I only pinch when the plants are still in the starter pots, after some true leaves form. I think @Bluejay77 mentioned at some point he knew some one who did that.

I think Will Bonsall told me once or he may have had a conversation with someone at Seed Savers and it got printed in one of their Harvest Editions in the autumn. Will said when pole beans reach the top of his pole supports he trims off the extra growth and doesn't let them try to climb on anything higher than his pole supports. He believed he saw increase pod and seed production among his plants when he did this trimming.

 

[Blue-Jay]

Five days ago I set up my 16 oz styro cups with lima bean seed planted in potting mix. Today I saw lots of little bulging potting mix spots where bean plants will soon emerge they got set outside in the sun today. watered a bit so they wouldn't dry out. I had made these racks so I could move six tomato plants at a time into the sun and back undercover each day. Didn't matter if the styro cups are tippy. They are secure in my home made racks. Took some new photos and you might see some of the seedlings beginning to emerge. Racks are sitting on a plastic tarp to keep my living room carpet clean.

 

[heirloomgal]

Five days ago I set up my 16 oz styro cups with lima bean seed planted in potting mix. Today I saw lots of little bulging potting mix spots where bean plants will soon emerge they got set outside in the sun today. watered a bit so they wouldn't dry out. I had made these racks so I could move six tomato plants at a time into the sun and back undercover each day. Didn't matter if the styro cups are tippy. They are secure in my home made racks. Took some new photos and you might see some of the seedlings beginning to emerge. Racks are sitting on a plastic tarp to keep my living room carpet clean.

View attachment 57411

View attachment 57412

View attachment 57413

What a great setup! You've defeated the dreaded nemesis of the starter cup - tipping over!

Well @Bluejay77 good news to report, my first network bean update. I somehow managed to get through the last week without biting all my nails to the quick, waiting to see sprouts. And it's looking really good! I planted 4 seeds of every network bean and nearly every one has come up. I've only had a few fail; there is still germinating going on in the last two trays so I can't give a definite number yet, but it's looking darn good. What a relief! And it's just as well that I started them indoors - this is the traditional planting time, Victoria Day weekend and it is absolutely miserable outside right now, heavy, heavy rain and 52F/10C. And dark. I'm so glad I can keep them all snuggly warm and under good lights until tomorrow when I can set them out to bask. It'll be mid 60's to low 70's the next week, and sunny. Yay!

Even the two beans which I fretted about - Zugdidi Flat Cake (the only one I couldn't return last year because the plant made zero pods) which I had only 4 seeds of (8 in the original packet) has come up. Starlite, a network bean for this year with 5 seeds in the packet (I planted 4 and kept 1) is also starting to make sprouts! So, I'm feeling off to a good start.

I'll say this though - if there is going to be a bean seed fail on me in a starter pot, it's probably going to be a white coated one.

Here's my little friend who always shows up to stand at my ankles and beg for seeds while I'm out taking pictures. Nothing to do with beans, but she is cute. And yes, she always gets her way, as does her equally begging husband.

 

[Branching Out]

Yesterday I started three kinds of beans in starter pots, and gave each variety either a different coloured pot or else a dusting of vermiculite-- to lessen the chance that I will mix them up. Our heat wave continues, so it was difficult to find time to start anything because of the time pressures of watering and weeding; the weeds and the plants have all tripled in size over the last 10 days. It feels good to get more beans going though. Cooler weather is in our forecast for the next two weeks, so a good time to start them in pots where I can control the weather.

 

[Branching Out]

Now I am getting beans prepared for planting alongside my friend's potatoes, asparagus, and onions in a large communal garden. Good chance I won't be able to check on them for a couple of weeks because of other commitments, yet I want to get them off to a good start. So some seeds have been rinsed with warm water every few hours, to begin the hydration process before planting. Jack, those Khabarovsk pole bean seeds that you sent me are plumping up nicely-- and one is even trying to germinate after just 18 hours (the tan and purple beans in the white dish). Thanks again for sharing your beans with the group.

Other bush dry beans such as Rossa di Lucca and Beefy Bush Black Resilient were placed in soil blocks five days ago, and are now just begining to erupt through the surface. This afternoon they will all go in the ground.

 

[Branching Out]

I've pinched a few pole beans since then and it does seem to increase yields. Might be something to try as an experiment to. see what you get!

Thanks for the idea Heirloomgal. I gave it a go, pinching two Trionfo Violetto plants above the first set of leaves, two above the second set of leaves, and keeping two plants 'unpinched'. It will be interesting to see how it goes. And then I couldn't resist following Phaedra's lead by placing the two long cuttings in a glass of water-- to see if they produce roots.

 

[Blue-Jay]

Most of my lima seedlings are up. Today was the third fill day of sun for them.

 

[Branching Out]

My husband was forced to eat frozen cooked lima beans as a child, and now hates them. He goes on and on about how awful they are. So I have purchased seed, and plan to grow them and not tell him what they are. If all of you are growing them they must have some redeeming qualities, right??

 

[flowerbug]

My husband was forced to eat frozen cooked lima beans as a child, and now hates them. He goes on and on about how awful they are. So I have purchased seed, and plan to grow them and not tell him what they are. If all of you are growing them they must have some redeeming qualities, right??

especially as shellies, but we also love them cooked from dry.

just call them butter beans.

 

[Ladyreneer]

I thought I'd add a couple of photos of my beans so far. They seem to be doing well on the back deck hiding from rabbits and deer. Something seems to have bitten the top half of 2 plants off, but I can't imagine what it was.
This is their temporary home and now they're hardened off ready for the garden. Cheers for the day!