Green Beans At Grandma's House
By Andrea Peck
My grandma used to grow green beans. One summer, we took the long trip to Michigan to visit her. She lived in a large brick house on the edge of a river. I vividly remember four things: strawberry-flavored Quik, Legos, a song that went “skyrockets in flight, afternoon delight” and green beans. I was young then, so my memory is fuzzy, but at this point I definitely think that my grandma gets complete credit for introducing me to a vegetable. Not just any vegetable – one that I liked.
Of course, these were from her garden and she lived on a farm. Homegrown are better, as you well know.
I have planted my own beans, but I either forget to water them or the snails demolish them and I seldom enjoy the benefit of becoming familiar with them. They are transients that come and go. The truth is that I probably sabotage myself because I never do find a prime vining location in my garden. This year is different, however. In fact, I am challenging myself on this very day to plant the string beans and snap beans that I purchased over a week ago. At this very moment, they are sitting outside in their original little black plastic pots. Actually, I feel them staring at me through the wall. Probably their roots are sweating as I type. And seriously that is just bad spring juju.
So what to do?
Beans are warm-season, annual legumes. Once their roots are solidly established they create their own nitrogen fertilizer. This “nitrogen-fixing” ability is why many seasoned gardeners suggest growing beans as a means to improving the fertility of your soil. There are many types of beans, and below I include a list of disease-resistant varieties suggested by the Master Gardeners. Some beans, such as snap beans, are eaten pod and all, while others, such as lima beans, are primarily eaten for the seed.
Oh, lookie here! I just dug up an interesting MG fact: “Bush snap beans are the most popular because they mature early and do not require trellising.” Who knew?
Beans should be planted after the danger of frost. Seeds do not germinate well in cold soil, so wait until the soil heats up to 60° – 70° F. Beans like fertile soil, so before you plant, add some compost to the bed. Once established they will not need any extra fertilizing.
Bush yellow:
Goldencrop Wax, Resistant Cherokee
Lima:
Fordhook 242 Bush
Henderson's Bush
King of the Garden
Dixie Butterpea
Baby Fordhook Bush
Snap-bush green:
Contender
Harvester
Roman
Tendercrop
Snap-Pole green
Fortex
Emerite
Kentucky Wonder
Romano
Scarlet Runner
Kwintus
Well, with that I'm off. I think I hear my little orphan plants complaining outside. Sounds vaguely like, ‘it's a hard knock life…'