Rain and beans

[vgqn]

It rained last night! This is an extraordinary event here in the Bay Area where it generally doesn't rain from April to October. The garden loved it. I am pleased I remembered to bring the seat cushions in so they didn't get soggy.

First bean harvest today! I admit, they could have benefited from another couple days growth, but I couldn't wait. Filet beans, I said to myself. Blue Lake, Kwintus, Beurre de Roquencourt, and Brittle Wax all had some ready. They were lovely. I started my beans indoors and transplanted them out which most gardening books tell you not to do. But it works great! Beans need warmth to germinate and will rot in cold soil, but once they've germinated, they grow quite happily in cool soil. It's a great trick that almost every gardener could benefit from. I'm thrilled, I tell you, thrilled, though I'm beginning to doubt my wisdom in planting seven varieties of pole beans. *gulp*

Comments

[headgardener.livejournal.com]

Us here in Blighty forget that there are parts of the world where you can actually plant bean seeds out into yer actual soil, rather than cosseting the little dears indoors until they're robust enough to cope with the vagaries of the great outdoors. On our windowsill at the moment: a trayful of Yin-Yang dwarf french beans. Out in the garden, four rather snail-tattered runner beans (Heritage Seed Library 'Black Magic). At least, I hope there's still beans surviving teh gatropod ravages...