On Fri, 02 Sep 2005 12:51:30 GMT, T i m wrote:

Hi All,

A gardening mate of mine gave me a 'runner bean starter kit' re 18
greenhouse plants (about 10" tall) and 3 tomato plants (about the same
height) and a couple of packets of canes. ;-)

Our back garden is mostly concrete but our neighbours is pretty unused
and mostly running wild so I asked him if I could borrow what was the
flower bed (then 3' high grass') for some produce. He said 'do what
you like' (don'tcha just love nice neighbours) ;-)

So I ran the bushcutter over the lot (grass / garden) and turned over
the N/S running ex flower bed strip beside the fence with a fork and
planted the beans and toms (sticks in tripod shapes with a bar across
the top for the beans and straight sticks for the 3 toms).

Most of the bean plants were up to the top of the poles very quicky
and I 'nipped out the tops' as they all got to the top of the poles.

I think I missunderstood the instructions re the toms and broke some
important lumps off (green stalks with those flt green bits on the
end) and I thought I'd killed them but there seems to be a fair few
bunches of green toms on each at the moment! ;-)

So, we have now probably had 10 handfull bunches of beans (what we
aren't ready for, friends / family seem happy to take!) but I think I
have let them get a bit out of control and there looks like loads of
flowers / growth happening at the top (good job I'm 6'2" g).

So, what are the consequences of letting these things go 'au naturale'
other than having to unpick the odd bean to give it space to grow
straight etc?

Also, when do I pick the toms? On a couple of the bunches (?) one or
two are orange / red but the rest are still very green?

Lastly, weeding. I started off ok, pulling the weeds out from between
the canes but of late (and as they have got bigger) have sorta not
bothered. Will this be a probem and if so how please? I can imagine
the weeds taking some of the energy out of the ground but at the same
time do they cut down on some of the evaporation (I generally give
them a quick water at the roots each morning when I remember and the
ground never really looks 'dry', even in this weather)?

Oh, one cute bit is the little tomato plant that seems to have
appeared all on it's on in a litte bit of unused ground ... ;-)

All the best and thanks for your time in any case ..

T i m (Nth London)

p.s. 'She' is ok with *our* runners (sweet/ not stringy) but her
favourite veg is probably brocolli followed by dark cabbage. Would I
have the same sorta luck with those next year or will the snails /
slugs eat them before we can?

Whatabout some spuds?

The 2 most important things now are to water well, which you seem to
be doing anyway, and to pick when ready, both toms and beans.
Until the weather turns cold, leave the toms on the plants and just
pick the ripe ones. It's probably best to take off any tomato flowers
now as they are unlikely to make fruit before the frosts. Take out any
side shoots, and take off some of the lower leaves so the plants can
put their energy into the fruit which have set.
Keep picking the beans as long as they appear. ( I don't like stringy
beans either!)
It would be best to get some of the weeds out if you can without
damaging your plants, otherwise let them do what they can for you.
Next year use longer canes for your beans!

Potatoes would be good next year. You have to dig over the soil to
plant, and then dig again to harvest them, so it helps clear weedy
ground.
If you grow any brassicas (cabbage family) you will have to be very
vigilant against the slugs, snails and caterpillars; maybe pigeons
too.
Well done that friend who gave you such a useful present. Are you
going to dig up your concrete and cultivate your own plot also?



Pam in Bristol