Planting Beans correctly ........

Discussion in 'Fruit and Veg Gardening' started by KK Ng, Sep 28, 2010.

  1. KK Ng

    KK Ng Hardy Maple

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    I had mentioned before that my bean planting activities always end up with very pathetic yield and I do not have the slightest idea what went wrong. I am ready to start planting some beans and I will really appreciate all the tips and advice I can get to get it right this time :)

    I have chosen this plot here where my bitter gourd was.

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    The old bitter gourd ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden )
    This old bitter gourd was attacked by something and is not growing well so I decided to had it removed. The wall behind is toward the south so this plot is full of sunshine.

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    With the trellis removed ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden )
    The remaining vines of the bitter gourd after removing the trellis. These vines will be put aside after the roots were dug out.

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    Raised bed rehabilitation 1 ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden )
    The raised portion of the raised bed is first flattened and the earth is kept closest to the bed because they will be the first to go back in. My logic is that whatever weeds that were germinating on this layer will not be able to grow once they were right under. Another thought is that it helps to keep the lower layer of earth richer.

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    Friend of the mini-farm ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden )
    It is always a comforting sight to see earthworms while digging. When I first started there were none.

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    Raised bed rehabilitation ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden )
    A depression of about 10cm is made and this layer of earth is just placed behind the first layer because it is going back in after the first layer.

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    Raised bed rehabilitation 3 ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden )
    The depression is finally deepened to at least 24cm in depth. These earth are also kept seperate from the rest.

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    Raised bed rehabilitation 4 ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden )
    The vines from the bittergourd plant is the first to go in followed some weeds. The were compressed as much as possible with a hoe and watered. The watering was to help in the decoposting and the weeds is in hope of attracting earth worms and also to encourage the exsisting ones to stay.

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    Raised bed rehabilitation 5 ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden )
    With the first and second layer of earth back in, a depression of about 4cm was made and was topped up with grass clippings.

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    Raised bed rehabilitation 6 ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden )
    The the 3rd layer of earth was dumped in an shaped with the sides as steep as possible to discourage weeds from growing. Again a layer of earth about 4~6cm is removed from the top leaving a boundary around the edges.

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    Raised bed rehabilitation 7 ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden )
    The earth that was removed is mixed with compost in the ratio of at least 1:1, normally I tend to add in more compost. The mixture is then carefully returned to the raised bed and compressed in as much as possible. The center is slightly higher to compensate for the lost in height when the vegetation down under compost.

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    Raised bed rehabilitation 8 ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden )
    Finally it was mulched with grass clipping from my lawn, about 4cm I guess.

    The bed is about 45X45cm on top and I intent to plant 2 regular pole beans and 2 dwarf beans on it, is it advisible? I have not put any seed in yet and I will appreciate all the advice, tips and comments I can get. Thank you all in advance. :-D
     
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  3. KK Ng

    KK Ng Hardy Maple

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    Today I decided to sow the bean seeds after the bed had been left to settle for a couple of days. Oops!! Sorry, I forgot to mention that the bed was completed on Monday.

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    Beanies ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden )
    These are the type of beans that I am going to plant - on the left are Bush beans and on the right are the Regular type. Here we call them French beans, what do you all call them in your country?

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    Beanie Patch ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden )
    I have decided to go with 4 plants on this patch, 2bush and 2 climbers. I have put 2 seeds in each place where the arrows are pointing to. For large seeds, I always do direct sowing.

    Within the next 3 to 5 days I am expecting to see the sprouts. The place where the seed were sowed, I have thinned out the mulch to make it easier for the beans to sprout.

    Now the wait begins ................... :D
     
  4. KK Ng

    KK Ng Hardy Maple

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    Today my first baby appeared! :-D

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    First Sprout ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden )
     
  5. KK Ng

    KK Ng Hardy Maple

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    [​IMG]
    Bean sprouts ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden )
    All the seeds that I sowed germinated except for one. Now come the most difficult part of slecting which one get to stay and which had to go. I really dislike this part :( but then I had to do what I had to do. :(
     



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  6. Sjoerd

    Sjoerd Mighty Oak

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    KK this is coming along really well for you. I hope that these beans will do really well for you and that you can keep the pesky bugs off them.

    Just keep showing updates. I am watching this thread closely.
     
  7. KK Ng

    KK Ng Hardy Maple

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    Thanks Sojerd :)
     
  8. KK Ng

    KK Ng Hardy Maple

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    O! oh!! something is not quite right about my beans.

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    ???? ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden )
    Both the bush beans have one of their leaves partially dried out whereas the climbers looks OK I think.

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    Partially dried leaf with spots of dried area. ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden )
    I checked it closely and there was no pest on it. I am at a lost???
     
  9. KK Ng

    KK Ng Hardy Maple

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    [​IMG]
    After 20 days ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden )
    Today I erected the trellis for the beans which I felt the climbers are ready to start climbing real soon. 20 days had passed and the weather now is really hot and dry.

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    Erecting a teepee/wigwam trellis ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden )
    The trellis I am using is the teepee/wigwam kind. I used this method for my vines and the work well. I used a total of 8 bamboo poles.

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    Done :) ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden )
    After having the bamboos placed in position, the top is tied together and it is done :)
     
  10. bradhurl1

    bradhurl1 New Seed

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    I have had a fair degree of success with beans and the key is not to have a heavy wet soil.These were from the dwarf variety.
     
  11. KK Ng

    KK Ng Hardy Maple

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    Thanks Bradhurl1, I'll take note of that.
     
  12. KK Ng

    KK Ng Hardy Maple

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    The progress so far.

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    French Beans ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden )
    The climbers are doing well and had reached the top of the trellis and also branching out.

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    ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden )
    The dwarf/bush are having some problems with somekind of leaf eating critters which I still can't catch it.

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    Lady Bug ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden )
    A friendly lady bug :)

    The weather at the moment is very conducive for the plants not forgetting the weeds too!!! Hmmmm.....wonder when will they start to flower :?:
     
  13. Sjoerd

    Sjoerd Mighty Oak

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    Hiyah KK-- I feel strongly that you have snail damage on those lower leaves.
    Otherwise the beans are looking good. Are you pleased with their progress?
    I was just thinking about your beans last night. You must have read my mind.
     
  14. KK Ng

    KK Ng Hardy Maple

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    :) Snails eh!! There was a great number of them lately and I had been destroying them but it didn't occur to me to check out the areas around the bean plants. Thanks Soojerd I'll start checking on them tonight.

    Yes, I am quite please with the progress and really looking forward to seeing them start to flower :)

    Well, I guess great minds think a like!! just forget about the next part!! :D
     
  15. Kay

    Kay Girl with Green Thumbs

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    KK, That was a lot of work you did to rehab your bean plot! They look good so far... The best of luck growing big, healthy delicious beans.
    I used to have pretty good bean crops back when I hardly knew what I was doing. HA! Since then, I've given up because they usually are marauded by hungry rabbits :scheming:
     
  16. KK Ng

    KK Ng Hardy Maple

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    Thanks Kay, I guess those rabbits must have really love your beans!! :D

    Last night got 2 snails already feasting on the leaves and another 2 were on heading towards the beans. Just a little while ago caught another. Sojerd you are right about the snails. While hunting for snails, I noticed that my luffa was in full bloom and this is the first time I saw it. Never knew that luffa blooms at night.....hmmm wonder what will help in their pollination.

    Ooops!! Just remembered that I was supposed to take a photo of the first bean flower bud, the dwarf is starting to flower. Hope I don't forget to to take the photo tomorrow. :D
     

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