A Late, Cold Spring Brings A New Idea

[freedhardwoods]

I have planted green beans after corn in previous years. This year, I got a late start and planted all full season corn, so I decided to get a head start on my main crop of beans.

I planted my beans before I picked my corn. I just checked them earlier today. I'll be picking next week.

 

[baymule]

You have a beautiful garden! I envy your long rows. Currently we live in town on a small lot and I garden in beds. But we are in the process of buying a HUD foreclosure in the northeast Texas area on 8 acres. Then I will have long rows too! (but probably not as neat as yours!)

My green bean bed is 12' long and 12" wide. Here's a link.

http://www.theeasygarden.com/threads/asian-long-beans-thread-2014.15286/

 

[baymule]

And we have a bean collector here on TEG. Last year and this year, we had the opportunity to help him grow out bean seed, keep some for ourselves and send him seed. It refreshes his seed stock and we get beans that you would never find on the open market. You might want to participate next year. It is a lot of fun!

http://www.theeasygarden.com/thread...ean-network-get-new-beans-on-the-cheap.15216/

 

[freedhardwoods]

Having long rows is nice. I'm sure you will think so too when you get moved. When you're picking, though, it seems like you're never going to reach the end.

As for the neat part, soon I'll talk about how my Troybilt tiller helps me tremendously. I bought my second one used a few months ago for $400.

Those long beans look interesting.

I'll check out the bean network.

 

[digitS']

I missed this, @freedhardwoods ! And, I missed saying, "Welcome to the forums! "

I'm pretty sure I remember you from somewhere else. I wouldn't have forgotten that great vegetable garden if I'd seen it!

I plant a few beans early and more late. I'd never get away with harvesting even the earliest sweet corn then sowing bean seed but I often finish the peas and replant the bed to green beans. Early lettuce went this year, in went the beans. The last planting was July 15th and the jury is still out on whether that was too late for 2014. I think having so much summer heat after that date may have slowed them more than usual.

I'll find out today if I can start picking from that bed. Usually I'm out with a jacket on, sometimes in the rain for those final harvests. This afternoon it's supposed to be over 80. Better be there this morning!

I'm glad things are working out well for you!

Steve

 

[freedhardwoods]

I missed this, @freedhardwoods ! And, I missed saying, "Welcome to the forums! "

I'm pretty sure I remember you from somewhere else. I wouldn't have forgotten that great vegetable garden if I'd seen it!

I cover a lot of territory. I'm on multiple forums covering multiple topics. I use the same username everywhere. I Googled my username out of curiosity and found a couple forums I forgot about.

I plant a few beans early and more late. I'd never get away with harvesting even the earliest sweet corn then sowing bean seed but I often finish the peas and replant the bed to green beans. Early lettuce went this year, in went the beans. The last planting was July 15th and the jury is still out on whether that was too late for 2014. I think having so much summer heat after that date may have slowed them more than usual.

I'll find out today if I can start picking from that bed. Usually I'm out with a jacket on, sometimes in the rain for those final harvests. This afternoon it's supposed to be over 80. Better be there this morning!

I'm glad things are working out well for you!

Hope your beans come out ok. Looks like I'm waiting at least another week longer than I thought. This cool weather really slowed them down.

 

[digitS']

Plants, people, all critters like the ideal. Whatever the ideal is ...

When I got out to the garden, I found that there were quite a few beans ready for picking. I think that by this time next week I'll be able to count that July 15th sowing a success.

It's worked before; I can't say that for later planting dates ... My Sugar Daddy snap peas are blooming. Trying snap peas sown the last week of July just might work this year, also!

Steve

 

[freedhardwoods]

Between sickness, other chores, and longer hours at work, I have only picked the right hand row. Four weeks ago, I picked it and worked up about a fourth of it before I had to go back to work. My wife finished working up the rest and canned them. We ended up with 53 quarts canned and a couple 1 gallon bucketfuls that went to family.

It was three weeks later (last Wednesday) before I was able to pick again. I figured I would have to throw away a lot that was too mature. I tested several of the huge beans as I was picking, and instead of being rubbery like I was expecting, they snapped very crisply. I brought several of them in the house and cooked them in a small pan, and the taste and texture was very good.

Since I was sick at the time, I decided to pull the plants as I picked so it would be less physically taxing. The big beans filled the bucket a lot faster also. My wife had other chores keeping her busy that week, so I ended up spending Wednesday picking, and Thursday & Friday and working them all up. I did have to throw out a few of them, but the final count was 70 quarts.

I think the cool weather was what allowed the big beans to keep their taste and texture. The 60* days and 40* nights worked well as my outdoor cooler to keep the beans fresh for the 2 days I worked them up.

The left row is still there waiting to be picked. I've told several people they could have them if they wanted to pick them, but no takers yet. I'll probably end up mowing them.

 

[Nyboy]

Bet you have a lot of takers if they where already picked.

 

[ninnymary]

That's a shame when you give homegrown food away for free and people are to lazy or busy to go pick it. You tell me to go pick and I'll be there in a heartbeat before anyone else can beat me to it! Ha

Mary