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Wednesday, July 13, 2022

That Bean Wall and Other Garden Tidbits

 There were a couple questions about the bean wall.
It's not an original idea, but it's a useful one.
They are finally climbing!
I like things that have fashion and function if that makes sense.
So when the only good place for the outdoor table
was in the heat of the afternoon sun,
there had to be a solution.
Those sun kites are extremally popular,
but not really ascetically correct for our 1930 cottage,
and we are just renting so don't want to do anything permanent.

So when I saw the idea of pole beans I jumped.
My original thought was hops by the way,
but we don't use those.
Many pictures feature cattle panels which works just fine.
The grid of them is graduated so what is meant to be the bottom
of the fence has narrower spaces and as you near the top 
of the panel the spaces are larger.
To tip this on its side would make me walk with a twitch.
Maybe it's too many years using them with livestock.
I got a "High 5" panel.
The openings are 5" square - even throughout.
They come in one long length.
We have a metal fabrication shop 
so it's kinda cheating on my part.
"Oh Hubby. . . "
He cut it in half then bent the top foot for me.
We sank rebar posts and attached them to those for support.
Then the fun really began.
I got to plant the beans.
Last year, I discovered the beans would be eaten 
as soon as they popped up out of the earth.
So I now start beans inside.
Once they get their second leaves, I plant them outside.
Also last year, we had the heat dome which lasted 
a good six weeks (of 100+ degree weather.)
The poor garden suffered.
They did grow, but with temps that hot,
even in shade it was too hot to sit out.
This year has been the opposite.
We've had a long wet spring and are at war with the earwigs.
The bean wall is growing.
It's not quite there yet, but I will show you so you can see.
Any running bean would work.
I have scarlet runners over in an odd spot of the garden 
where it corners up to the field.
(I planted the 3 on the left.)
I also have contenders and Ky. pole beans.

Last year for the bean wall,
I used Old Mother Stoddard and French XXX.
This year, I had even more fun.
I have three different kinds of beans growing.

The purple ones did the poorest with germinating.
We'll see how many of each kind I actually get.
The weather has still been pleasant
which is good because the wall isn't providing much shade yet.
But it will :-)
I also got misters to hang.
That project remains on the To-Do list
rather than the To-Done list.
(Canned peas this past weekend.)

Since we are in the garden,
I will also share that our brocolli and cabbage are huge-
big beautiful plants but with no heads yet.
It's crazy but what am I to do?
I just keep watering them and praying they produce.

The compost in the raised beds was still hot so some of the things planted in those are getting some yellow leaves.
Surprisingly, the kale, collards, onions, and savory
 are doing great in them.

There's always a lesson in the garden.
Whether or not I learn it is a different story.




 
 

15 comments:

  1. interesting use of beans a 2 for 1 shade and eat it. We have been chilly nights but sunny and warm days which is just perfect for me I hate the heat. My little garden is doing ok the tomatoes have so many I just want them to turn red so I can start eating.
    Cathy

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  2. It's hot as hades here too with high humidity. This spring was unusually dry ~ normally there is a lake from rain collection at the low area in the woods but not this year. Corn is unusually late this year. Local corn is usually bountiful by July 4th but not this year. Hope you are eventually pleased with your gatherings and looking forward to reading about your favorite bean.

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  3. i love the bean wall!!

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  4. We planted 3 sisters, corn,beans & squash. So far I would say corn & squash are doing the best the green beans have flowers but not a bean. Unimpressed so far, and maybe next year won't do beans, this was the first time.

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  5. We are having really pleasant temps here and haven't even broken out the a/c unit as yet. Maybe we won't need to. As for our 'garden' on the balcony, we have really prolific tomato plants but they're pretty much all leaves with precious little in the way of flowers. Don't know why. I've heard different reports on the web about people finding that their veggies are producing lots of foliage but little in the way of edible food. Too bad when grocery prices are so high.

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  6. I absolutely love the bean wall. What a wonderful idea, and look at all the peas! I love it! Now wonder if I can find a place for a bean wall? Guess not. We have too much shade now. I had trouble getting lots of various seeds to germinate this spring.

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  7. Thanks for the progress photo! Looking forward to seeing more. I had more things to say but got completely and hopelessly distracted with those fresh peas. They are my ultimate absolutely favorite vegetable...not even a thought of a question. I could eat that whole basket. I always try to get some from the local farmer's market with the thought of making "milk peas" (my favorite next to right out of the pod) like my mum always did...but always end up eating them before getting to the mild peas. No way there'd be any to can or freeze. And this year, I have not even been able to find the market...where they said they were, they aren't. Frustrated...and fearing this might be a pea-less year. 😩 ~Robin

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  8. When I had a garden I always used a wall of somesort for the snow peas, summer squash and zuchini. It's nice to have things up off the ground and it takes less space

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  9. You are SO right that there is always a lesson in the garden. There's always a lesson in someone else's garden too! I'm amazed your growing those lovely cool weather crops in July. I love your bean wall. Living shade is glorious.

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  10. Your beans are looking great. I garden with just flowers, no veggies.

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  11. I love your fencing for your beans and the rocks! My beans have been slow about climbing as well. What a beautiful post!

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  12. Fantastic! I love that you are growing your own food. It looks so healthy.

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  13. That is so interesting to hear about the different beans. They look so healthy and pretty growing and it is good that you have more acceptable weather. Have a nice summer!

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  14. As usual, our Black Eyed peas did very well. I tried some fancy Purple beans this year, but the jury is still out on their success rate.

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