Is this a bean about to happen? I've never grown these before so I have no idea what to look for. It's the Bush Bean plant that I'm growing for the Growing Challenge.
Check out the picture (below) of the raised bed these are growing in. Talk about overcrowding! I built these 4x4 beds last fall and then divided them into 1 square foot sections with string that I nailed to the wood.
I like the idea of cramming as much stuff as possible into a small space and I think everything is OK for now. But, I'm worried that the Yellow Zucchini is going to take over the entire bed.
Be sure to check out the other gardeners who are participating in the Growing Challenge being hosted by Elements in Time.
How long before I have beans to cook?
My garden is also in a raised 4x4 box. And I have a LOT planted in it - some people (ultra traditional) gardeners tell me that what I am doing won't work - but it seems to be thriving just fine. My cucumbers are doing what your zucchini are doing - trying to take over - but I just go out everyday and push them back or redirect them to spill over the edges of the box. My mother in law said that once they start producing veggies that they will slow down on the vining - I am already starting to see little inch long cucumbers and have noticed that the vining is slowing way down. So stick in there! I think it will all work out. And don't think of it as overcrowding - think of it as weed control. :) There isn't space for weeds to grow in my garden - the veggies have total control! :)
ReplyDeleteGina -- You will see beautiful little flowers on your bean plants followed by beans just like tomatoes. Once you have flowers the beans won't be too far behind -- they're much faster than tomatoes. Just make sure you don't let them get too big, the younger, smaller ones are much tastier. You'll know when they're big enough to harvest.
ReplyDeleteWow, the garden looks great! You may be able to trellis the zucchini upward and/or train it outward so it doesn't totally take over. But the leaves themselves may shad out other plants (some of mine last year got to be at least 1 ft. in diameter...
ReplyDeleteThe beans - my experience is the same as Heather's. They'll get a bunch of flowers and be pretty... and you'll wonder how long they will make flowers before they make beans. And then one day, you'll see a bunch of miniature beans, and they'll grow large quickly!