Lessons Learned: Beans and Peas

Bunny problems cut the pea harvest way back this year. I also had some trouble with germination. Next year, I'll plant fresh seed a little later. Peas came up this year on April 17th, Growing Degree Day 38. I figure I'll wait until this point next year - whenever that is - and then put the peas in the ground, pre-soaked.

I want the shelling peas for the sake of the sweet surprise inside, but the truth is, you have to grow a lot to get a dinner's worth. So we'll plant more snow peas and sugar snaps.

As far as string beans go, I'm pretty happy with a row of about 10 ft total. I'd like to try limas again, but they have to be planted as early as you can. I only got a handful this year.

I might try more pole beans next year. I had a good run with the scarlet runner beans, but they weren't good fresh, and I only had 5 ft. Maybe I'll try another variety in addition to the scarlet runner beans, one that would be good as fresh string beans or just fresh beans.

Getting ready for snow

My garden is SO not ready for snow. But I was just out shoring up the hoop house and I ducked under and thought this carrot might be respectable, so I pulled it! It's short, but respectable breadth. Wish I'd planted more. There are only 15 or so.

Stephen Hopp (of Animal Vegetable Miracle authorship) told us that carrots were better after the first frost. The cool weather convinces them to convert something to sugar... or something. I don't know, but this one was AMAZINGLY sweet. Much sweeter than the ones I grew in the spring.

Lima beans

Total production of Lima beans from one short row, planted too late. Less than a handful. Hmmmmmm...

Elizabeth Crisfield

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www.elizabethcrisfield.com

Garlic

Yesterday I planted the garlic bed. First frost is expected tonight.

I bought about 15 heads of German Red (hardneck) at the farmers market for $10. There were about 10 cloves per head, so that was a lot of garlic. I also planted the saved cloves of 10 heads of my unknown variety which has 4-5 enormous cloves per head.

I found the best garlic growing advice at this page: http://www.garlicfarm.ca/growing-garlic.htm. They point out that if you leave a few scapes uncut, you can both multiply the cultivar by planting the bulbils and know when to stop watering in the summer (when the scapes straighten up, stop watering.)

I used a slightly wider spacing this year, probably about 6 inches. They say this will allow larger heads. I fear they may not all be deep enough, but I'll mulch it and hope that will compensate.

Raspberry applesauce

I can't get enough of this stuff. 10 jonagold apples, 10 golden delicious, 2 c frozen raspberries. I cook the apples down, then mash the raspberries and mix them in just before filling the jars. 1/2 inch headspace, 20 minutes in the water bath canner.

Scarlet runner beans

We didn't eat any of these fresh, so they are all dry for soup!

Zucchini

Apparently the time to grow zucchini in my garden is late summer. I planted seed, in the ground, on August 2, and so far I've gotten 2 beautiful fruits. Maybe I could even start a week or two earlier next year.