If pole beans provide beans all season which are longer, meatier, and better tasting, why bother with the bush beans? What can bush beans provide better except for a slightly earlier harvest?
I'll have12-18 sqft of trellisable space for beans next year. I'm just weighing if I should even plant the bush beans or fill the space with other yummy goodness.
Opinions?
On a side note, right now I've got two types of pole beans planted: Fortex and Kentucky Wonder. Neither are flowering yet, but the Fortex is vining like it is fulfilling a mission, but the KW is very lackadaisical about it. If you coax it to climb, stand on one leg, stick your finger in your nose and hold your mouth right, it may catch on. Is KW always a bear to train to run?
The morning comes early. Sweet gardening dreams.
If I had to choose I would grow pole beans. In fact I like to grow everything that will climb on trellises. Trellises almost double my garden space. I think the reason to grow both is the bush beans will produce first and then the poles will produce later in the season.
ReplyDeleteI am anxiously awaiting others to chime in on this one, too! I no longer plant the bush variety due to low yields, but I have found that my arms don't break out into a rash like they do with pole beans! I now use 2 whole beds of Edamame. I snack on it every night now, and guess that doubles as my "bush bean"!
ReplyDeleteDan, that was my take on it as well. Speed is not really a concern, but if I removed the bush beans...that's 12 empty sqft at the front of the beds...what would I plant? It can't be tall because it would shade everything else behind it. It has to be low to the ground.
ReplyDeleteTell me about it, Erin! I just went out there to string another trellis from the decorative one to the top railing of our retaining wall (Pictures tomorrow) and I was scratched up and itching like mad. Oddly a little hand sanitizer stopped it instantly.
ReplyDeleteLow growing things can be tough in your climate because most low growing things like to grow in cool weather. Maybe you could do lettuce/greens early in the season, herbs in the summer heat and then lettuce/greens again in the fall. Onions would probably work as well. If you still wanted to grow beans, I tried dragon tongue beans this year and they were the best bean I have ever eaten. There is beets too, I could go on forever.
ReplyDeleteAh, the heat gets us every time. Onions are iffy in this place. They never bulbed up this past year. Lettuce bolts pretty darn quick (mid April), but I'm looking into the dragon tongue. I've written it on my 'map' to remember them.
ReplyDeleteWe're doing beets this fall for the first time. I'm waiting for them to sprout. They didn't grow this spring for me past two or three little leaves, but I'm hopeful.
The best onions to grow in the south are short day varieties. You would plant them during the winter and they will bulb up in the spring. The link below has lots of onion info and they even ship onion starts: http://www.dixondalefarms.com/category/onion_plants
ReplyDeleteYou're awesome, Dan. This is why I need you. I'll go check out the link now.
ReplyDeleteI'm growing Kholrabi (sp?) for you. Everyone else says it tastes like cat feet, but you say it's good. I've got it in the ground, but the 15-20 days for germination's a bit harsh.
EWWW! Cat feet? Why would someone want to eat a veggie that tastes like cat feet? More to the point, how would someone even know what cat feet taste like?
ReplyDeleteAs for training the KW beans, I wouldn't know, cuz...well, you remember my baked beans, right? I am trying again, though.
ribbit - My kentucky wonder are still producing well, and I don't know how many quart bags have been frozen! If you do 16 feet of trellis, it will equal what I have this year.
ReplyDeleteAs slow as my bush beans have been this year, my pole beans are even slower. I have KW too and they are taking their sweet time doing anything at all. The rattlesnake beans are looking more vigorous (even after being dug up by the bunnies early in the season)and I did see some blooms on those today. I've had just enough from the bush beans so far to eat for dinner a couple times and I should be able to pick a few more tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteI've only ever grown bush beans. Maybe I should be switching. I always have good production, but they are a B@#$% to harvest. My old knees and back would probably like the switch! I didn't realize they were better.....thanks! You've done your good deed for the day! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
ReplyDeleteMy pole beans have not grown at high altitude, not sure why. Bush beans are always better performers. I like to plant both and have a race.
ReplyDeleteRosey
Ribbit, good to know about the hand sanitizer, I will try that! I am actually trying pole beans on my pergola this year as a quick cover until I can get something perennial growing on it next spring! Try edamame in your old bush bean bed...you will be hooked! :)
ReplyDeleteRibbit~I think the secret to getting KW to grow up the trellis is by doing the "hokie pokie" after make a funny face with your mouth... ROFL
ReplyDeleteMomma_S,at least I'd keep the neighbors guessing!
ReplyDeleteErin, I've tried them twice! They don't grow well here for some reason.
Not only that, but I had HORRIBLE germination from my bush beans, as did my brother. The bushes didn't get very big either and only produced about 5-10 beans per plant. I had 4 SF of pole beans and got 2 gallons harvested, blanched and frozen. No comparison!
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts, too, Sinfonian. I may go the all pole route this next year and see what comes of it.
ReplyDeleteHope your boy has a good start to kindergarten! Our boy here starts Monday.
I prefer the KW beans, after you get the freezer full of”green beans”, let the remainder mature into dry beans. Add a ham hock and it will make the best ham and bean soup you ever tasted.
ReplyDeleteJohn
Hi John!! It's so good to see you here again. I hope that great grandbaby is growing like a weed. You need to get to writing that memoir to pass down.
ReplyDeleteI was going to do lima beans this coming summer and set up half of the sqftage to harvest now and half to dry. It's good to know you can do it for kw as well.
A couple of years too late, but...!
ReplyDeleteI like pole beans, and grow them in the bed area. But, my beds are made of cinder blocks, and the holes are perfect for bush beans!
I think what bush beans offer is not having to trellis them, or provide support poles etc.