As a rule, we choose to grow bush beans rather than pole
beans. I cannot make up my mind whether or not this is from sheer
laziness. In a city backyard the tall varieties might perhaps be a
problem since it would be difficult to get poles. But these running
beans can be trained along old fences and with little urging will run up
the stalks of the tallest sunflowers. So that settles the pole
question. There is an ornamental side to the bean question. Suppose you
plant these tall beans at the extreme rear end of each vegetable row.
Make arches with supple tree limbs, binding them over to form the arch.
Train the beans over these. When one stands facing the garden, what a
beautiful terminus these bean arches make.
Beans like rich, warm, sandy soil. In order to assist the soil be
sure to dig deeply, and work it over thoroughly for bean culture. It
never does to plant beans before the world has warmed up from its spring
chills. There is another advantage in early digging of soil. It brings
to the surface eggs and larvae of insects. The birds eager for food will
even follow the plough to pick from the soil these choice morsels. A
little lime worked in with the soil is helpful in the cultivation of
beans.
Bush beans are planted in drills about eighteen inches apart, while
the pole-bean rows should be three feet apart. The drills for the bush
limas should be further apart than those for the other dwarf beans say
three feet. This amount of space gives opportunity for cultivation with
the hoe. If the running beans climb too high just pinch off the growing
extreme end, and this will hold back the upward growth.
Among bush beans are the dwarf, snap or string beans, the wax beans,
the bush limas, one variety of which is known as brittle beans. Among
the pole beans are the pole limas, wax and scarlet runner. The scarlet
runner is a beauty for decorative effects. The flowers are scarlet and
are fine against an old fence. These are quite lovely in the flower
garden. Where one wishes a vine, this is good to plant for one gets both
a vegetable, bright flowers and a screen from the one plant. When
planting beans put the bean in the soil edgewise with the eye down.
Beets like rich, sandy loam, also. Fresh manure worked into the soil
is fatal for beets, as it is for many another crop. But we will suppose
that nothing is available but fresh manure. Some gardeners say to work
this into the soil with great care and thoroughness. But even so, there
is danger of a particle of it getting next to a tender beet root. The
following can be done; Dig a trench about a foot deep, spread a thin
layer of manure in this, cover it with soil, and plant above this. By
the time the main root strikes down to the manure layer, there will be
little harm done. Beets should not be transplanted. If the rows are one
foot apart there is ample space for cultivation. Whenever the weather is
really settled, then these seeds may be planted. Young beet tops make
fine greens. Greater care should be taken in handling beets than usually
is shown. When beets are to be boiled, if the tip of the root and the
tops are cut off, the beet bleeds. This means a loss of good material.
Pinching off such parts with the fingers and doing this not too closely
to the beet itself is the proper method of handling.
There are big coarse members of the beet and cabbage families called
the mangel wurzel and ruta baga. About here these are raised to feed to
the cattle. They are a great addition to a cow's dinner.
The cabbage family is a large one. There is the cabbage proper, then
cauliflower, broccoli or a more hardy cauliflower, kale, Brussels
sprouts and kohlrabi, a cabbage-turnip combination.
Cauliflower is a kind of refined, high-toned cabbage relative. It
needs a little richer soil than cabbage and cannot stand the frost. A
frequent watering with manure water gives it the extra richness and
water it really needs. The outer leaves must be bent over, as in the
case of the young cabbage, in order to get the white head. The dwarf
varieties are rather the best to plant.
Kale is not quite so particular a cousin. It can stand frost. Rich
soil is necessary, and early spring planting, because of slow maturing.
It may be planted in September for early spring work.
Brussels sprouts are a very popular member of this family. On account
of their size many people who do not like to serve poor, common old
cabbage will serve these. Brussels sprouts are interesting in their
growth. The plant stalk runs skyward. At the top, umbrella like, is a
close head of leaves, but this is not what we eat. Shaded by the
umbrella and packed all along the stalk are delicious little cabbages or
sprouts. Like the rest of the family a rich soil is needed and plenty
of water during the growing period. The seed should be planted in May,
and the little plants transplanted into rich soil in late July. The rows
should be eighteen inches apart, and the plants one foot apart in the
rows.
Kohlrabi is a go-between in the families of cabbage and turnip. It is
sometimes called the turnip-root cabbage. Just above the ground the
stem of this plant swells into a turnip-like vegetable. In the true
turnip the swelling is underground, but like the cabbage, kohlrabi forms
its edible part above ground. It is easy to grow. Only it should
develop rapidly, otherwise the swelling gets woody, and so loses its
good quality. Sow out as early as possible; or sow inside in March and
transplant to the open. Plant in drills about two feet apart. Set the
plants about one foot apart, or thin out to this distance. To plant one
hundred feet of drill buy half an ounce of seed. Seed goes a long way,
you see. Kohlrabi is served and prepared like turnip. It is a very
satisfactory early crop.
To Your Success
Perzina Munroe
http://www.12path.com/HBC/
http://www.babydarest.com