What To Do With Bean Plant Roots

Any of you gardners that grow veg have surely heard that you need not fertilize the ground where in you will sow your beans, because the bean plants "make their own fertilizer".
It is true that if you fertilize the plants with a fertilizer that is high in nitrogen you will only get a very leafy plant that produces few beans.

What they are referring to are the nitrogen nodules that form on the roots of the plants.
The plants take in nitrogen from the air, process it and send it to the roots to form the little nitrogen fixating nodules of which I speak.
The plants then use these to "feed themselves" throughout the season.

The next thing you hear is that when the season is over, you should cut the foliage off and compost it, but leave the roots in the ground so you don't loose the "natural fertilizer".

This idea sounds good to me if you then plan to plant leafy veg like spinach, Swiss chard or the like -- something that is grown for it's leaves. However if you plan to plant other types of veg in that plot that do not require alot of nitrogen, then I have the feeling that I can just compost the roots along with the foliage and spread that out in other places in the garden after it has composted.
It is a nightmare trying to rake that ground with those little stobs of the plant's stem and the roots constantly hanging-up in the tines of your rake. Half the time they get pulled out anyway.

Well, while I was removing my bean plants and preparing the ground for the winter, it occurred to me to have a look and take some fotos.
It might be nice to see this phenominon if you have never seen it before.

Here is a plant just pulled out of the ground, It may be a little difficult to see the nodules.

A closer inspection shows them more clearly.

And finally an earthworm's view.

Perhaps not everyone has such an inquisitive nature as I, but it's one of natures' little oddities and bears investigation. I can still recall the first time I saw this and the feeling of amazement ind intrigue.

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Sjoerd http://www.volkstuindersvereniginghoornenomstreken.nl/Page11.html

Hello Arv--
I have been practicing what I call "min-till" for several years now http://www.volkstuindersvereniginghoornenomstreken.nl/Page18.html and I find it to be the best way to handle the soil based upon my needs. Min tilling is discussed a bit in this article on soil.
I do not always use this method in all plots however, as some crop sorts require deep and loose soil. I sort of tailor my treatment of soil based upon what will go in the plot.

I do firmly believe that soil, generally, should be turned and disrupted as little as possible. Having said that I would like to qualify this by saying that first one should have a good and healthy soil to begin with...and this might take some work getting the nutrition and structure the way you want it. After that, it's minimal tilling for me.
I believe that is is good to leave some sort of cover over the surface of the soil to protect it especially during the winter months, as I have posted a few weeks ago.

Soil is the very basis of any garden and it is good to read and try and understand it as much as one can so that it can be treated properly. The treatment of your soil will ultimately determine how things will grow on your plot.

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Sjoerd http://www.volkstuindersvereniginghoornenomstreken.nl/Page11.html