2024 Little Easy Bean Network - Growing Heirloom Beans Of Today And Tomorrow

[ruralmamma]

do you like those little plugs that look like stacked barrels for pea seeds too? i may still have some of those also.

My experimentation with peas is limited. However my husband would love it if I planted the whole garden in peas, so sure I'm game.

 

[heirloomgal]

It has been a very weird bean year so far for me. The pole beans are growing in such an odd fashion, I've never seen anything like it. The plants and leaves look quite healthy, so I have been trying to figure out what is causing such vigorous bushy growth. It's actually making the pole beans late to climb, but they're finally starting to make some upward progress. We've had plentiful rain, maybe too plentiful in the last 30 days.

Equally odd, I usually have a tough go of it with bush beans. They never seem to do near as well as pole beans in my gardens. This year, things flipped. They are the most advanced bean plants of them all; most of the bushes are hanging with a full set of beans already.

 

[flowerbug]

It has been a very weird bean year so far for me. The pole beans are growing in such an odd fashion, I've never seen anything like it. The plants and leaves look quite healthy, so I have been trying to figure out what is causing such vigorous bushy growth. It's actually making the pole beans late to climb, but they're finally starting to make some upward progress. We've had plentiful rain, maybe too plentiful in the last 30 days.

maybe too much nitrogen? not sure though, like you say the weather can be the primary driver in production. i recall some years ago when we had a summer where for most of the month of June and into July there was hardly any sunshine. the tomatoes just sat there and didn't do much at all, but later on in the summer when it finally did get warm and sunny enough they caught up and produced.

Equally odd, I usually have a tough go of it with bush beans. They never seem to do near as well as pole beans in my gardens. This year, things flipped. They are the most advanced bean plants of them all; most of the bushes are hanging with a full set of beans already.

yay!

 

[heirloomgal]

maybe too much nitrogen?

I don't think so, I haven't added any. I haven't done anything different from the last 3 years, that's why this is such a mystery. I'm thinking it's above average rainfall. Luckily, it never fell for days and days to waterlog anything but it has been quite regular. And intense and plentiful when it comes down. The plants all really super branched out on me. It's like year of 'bushiness' for all the beans.

 

[flowerbug]

i finally be belatedly got some beans picked yesterday and they were prepped last night for cooking up today. some were past their prime and will be worm food, but the rest will be cooked up and enjoyed this weekend.

also more peas/pea pods, for such a small patch they're really productive with all these rains. i could go out and pick more today and check for ones that are far enough along they could be picked and dried down fully for seeds (this way i know the chipmunks won't get my full crop of seeds).

 

[Blue-Jay]

Summer Bean Show Vol. #8 2024

It would be neat if we could grow these beans here in North America but the time
to maturity too long.


Brazilian Bean #14..............................Brazlian Bean #15

 

[Branching Out]

Summer Bean Show Vol. #8 2024

It would be neat if we could grow these beans here in North America but the time
to maturity too long.

View attachment 67012View attachment 67014
Brazilian Bean #14..............................Brazlian Bean #15

Would it be possible to start them indoors and then grow them in a hoop house to extend the season? If so, I would be willing to try growing out one of these next year. These are Lima beans, right?

By the way I am growing out Grandma Rivera's Pole Lima network beans this summer, my first time growing limas. So far the plants are just kind of sitting there, with one finally showing what looks like a runner forming (which is reassuring). Is it typical for lima plants to stall in their growth for several weeks? Some of my pole beans are 6' tall, yet this one is only about 8" or so. I have plants in two different gardens, each with the same performance.

 

[Blue-Jay]

Would it be possible to start them indoors and then grow them in a hoop house to extend the season? If so, I would be willing to try growing out one of these next year. These are Lima beans, right?

Not only do these limas have a 4 or 5 month maturity time. They might also be daylength sensitive. They are so pretty to look at but I don't think I would want to try growing them.

 

[flowerbug]

finally done planting the beans. these last ones may just end up being a cover crop and maybe fresh beans, but more than anything they are likely to be deer food.

 

[Blue-Jay]

Summer Bean Show Vol. #9 2024

Two more beautiful South American Limas. The patterns and colors they have on South American Limas are just amazing.


Bean #17................................................................Bean #18