Beans, Beans, their good for your heart......

anything gardening is good for your heart!

But it is time to plant beans this month, and with all this rain I thought they might just rot if I planted them directly outdoors. So I put these Painted Lady Runner Beans between wet paper towels on March 27, and transplanted them into dixie cups on April 5.



I saved these beans myself from last years harvest. They are edible, you can cook and use them as you would any dried bean, but I grew them for the beautiful flower, I just add them to salads. I think I will give them a try in a batch of chili.



In only 9 days look how much growth. I did soak them first, but only for 2 hours.



Put a little hole in the bottom of your dixie cup for drainage, fill 1/2 way with dirt, then add the bean and more dirt.



Look at all these, 100% germination rate using Uncle Tom's Method....Thanks.





I'm going to leave them outdoors, under some protection from the rain. I put an extra flat on top for protection from the chickens......always thinking ahead!


Runner Bean Updates:

April 13, Yea! They grew! It's always a nice surprise when things work out!









April 18, Ready to plant out. I transplanted 8 on the side-yard trellis, we'll see if it get's enough sun to bloom.


One of Larry's home improvement projects last year was this trellis, all made from salvaged redwood. It's a work of art.












I transplanted 12 on the back-yard trellis. That takes care of 20, probably have 20 more leftover.........will find a home somewhere before the week is over.

Hopefully, the chickens have eaten all the snails, I might want to go outside tonight with a flashlight just to be sure...........


April 20
Copper Snail Barrier


I decided to use the left over copper tape that I used around my raised beds, to protect individual seedlings. Better safe then sorry.


UPDATE: Painted Lady Runner Beans Blooming
May28, 2006

The runner beans have those long stems, like Sweet Peas. I think the more you pick, the more they grow, and they look great bunched together in a small vase. I was going to save the beans this year and dry them, so I probably won't pick the flowers.