Number 66 bit the dust. They softened up in the earth but never sprouted. I dug them up to check. Too bad...Still waiting on #45. #67 and the Prince are doing well!
Got the beans a few days ago Mr. Crow, thanks! I think that I may wait on planting them for another week or so to play it safe. I've heard a few rumors about a possible snowstorm. With the past few days in the 80's it seems impossible, but you never know.
I'll try to do some photos:
This is the bed I just planted yesterday, the one on the right, which I am calling BED 10. Farther to the right is where BED 11 will be. I took this photo a couple hours ago, and I've already done more preparations to that bed. Note the Hardware cloth behind it. On some older photos you may remember, I had 2 x 12 boards there. Wanted to reduce the stress on those 2 middle posts by removing their job as retaining wall. This is the back part of my garden that is toward the lake. The lake would be easily visible 100 feet away through some trees if the camera was turned right less than 90 degrees. BED 10 has the second panting of the Lima Beans, and the last few outcross varieties' second planting. Those Russ labeled as old outcross varieties are grouped with the new outcrosses. Varieties such as Shoshone.
Another view of BED 10
This is BED 9, and just past it is BED 8. To the right the berry bed is visible, and to the left, part of BED 6 is visible. Nearer, but out of view to the left is BED 7.
BED 9 is the Pole Varieties, with 3 bush varieties at the end of it, the side nearest the camera. Some of the pole varieties are just beginning to make runners. I hope they can hold on for a couple weeks when I'm getting some fencing to make 8 foot tall cylinders for each pair to climb on. If they need it sooner, I have some old 8 foot 1 x 2 stakes which work alright. Chester won the race to making the first little runner. Badda di Polizzi Dark Eye came in second.
BED 8 was the first bed planted and made. The Peas in it were planted March 11th. The beans in that bed were the first to be planted, around April 5th. That bed I gave the highest side to for early planting, and I made it so I actually could have covered it if I needed to, until I put the cylinders of fencing in for the Peas to climb. Those are about 6 foot high, and are kind of wired together funky but good. The beans I planted in there are the African varieties, first planting of them.
I did multiple plantings of varieties over the course of time and at different places in my garden as one of my precautions against failure. If one area has some calamity happen, there are more plants at other areas. All beds except the berry bed are antigopher caged down a foot into the soil.
This is BED 5.
Bed 5 includes first planting of bush varieties, and second plantings of Outcross varieties, and also second plantings of African varieties. Beds 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and the berry bed constitute my main garden. I have often called bed 5 the south bed. It is the longest single bed, and has no walkway dividing it, only at the end of it near bed 10.
This is a view of the front sectiion. The nearest bed visible is BED 2. The right part of what I am now calling BED 2, some may recall me referring to as my bonus bed because I whipped it together in time to plant 2 years ago. The entire front section this year only has bush varieties and outcrosses in it, but also includes some that may run. oh, and the few soybeans, cowpeas, and adzukis.
All these beds are actually connected, but I devised boundaries for organizing. That bed that is at the end, (how do I describe?), to the left, like the upright of a capital E, is bed 1. The bed in the middle, just past bed 2, is bed 3, and the bed past that is bed 4. Beyond that are the 5 wine barrels. Chardonnay grapes are in the middle 3 of them, and to either side, not quite showing, are wine barrels A and B with bush beans planted in them.
This photo shows how the front section of my garden is connected to the main garden, and also shows my garden gate. You can see there is room in there for another "bonus bed". I might make it this year, as an extension of bed 3.
This is a view of the main garden. Yep, that's Lake Pillsbury down there. It did not quite fill completely this year, and is already down to 85% capacity already. Releases are being made for Lake Mendocino down river.
This is the NYIMO AFRICAN GROUNDNUT. 3 of them are in this bed, and bed 5 has 2 more. The leaves first arrive reddish and have lost that now as they unfolded. @baymule wanted to see it. (did I use that at thing right?)
For that bed I'm working on, the future bed 11, I gave the ground in it a good soaking. Tomorrow I'll be digging post holes for it, and that base ground was dry and hard as concrete.
@marshallsmyth thanks for posting the picture of the Nyimo, it looks like the Jugo and Bambarra that I am growing. Hard to look at those and think, that's a bean! Your gardens are looking awesome!
I thought about beans and Marshall a couple of times today. With such an impressive inventory, an accounting of his activities kinda stays with you. Then I come home to photographic evidence!
I was thinking of getting a picture of the cluster tomato plants this morning. I'll see how the light is when I can drag myself back outta this lazyboy . . .
Your beans all look to be off to a happy start, Marshall. Thanks for the pics. How do you tell them all apart though? I am also interested to see how you trellis your pole beans too.
Journey, each short row that runs the width of the bed is marked with a 5 to 12 inch long piece of wooden stake of 1x2, using a sharpie marker. One is visible in the picture that has the Toad in it. In some beds, every other one is on the opposite side as the one next to it. Also, every coffee can that has the source seed packet in it is so marked, duct taped on, marked on a piece of heavy paper... actually the paper comes from cutting up the boxes that my cats' meow mix comes in.
The only problem I had with the system was remembering to keep the markers marked exactly the same. This is very important this year with all the outcrosses with similar names, such as flamboyant 2012 and flamboyant 2013 outcross #1. No mixups allowed!