On Fri, 02 Sep 2005 13:32:22 GMT, Pam Moore
wrote:



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,

Well, I'm watering them but only a gardener would know if that was
'well' (unless the proof is in the beaning)? Do I take it that runner
beans are the easierst things to grow (besides nettles that is) ;-)

and to pick when ready, both toms and beans.

Ok .. I really wish *I* enjoyed fruit / veg more sigh. I Just went
to make myself a sarnie and fancied cheese and tomato .. but we han't
got any toms in the fridge. So, I'm eating one of the two red ones
from my own vines as we speak silly grin !

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.

Ah, that was the bit I got wrong at the beginning Pam, pulling off
energy collecting leaves etc. I think my mate tried to suggest I
nipped out any shoots that appear in the 'V' of an existing branch?

Keep picking the beans as long as they appear. ( I don't like stringy
beans either!)

My regular bean growing brother in law leaves his beans to go too big
(apparently), allowing them to get stringy / tough. He also suggested
the reason my stuff was doing so well was because the ground hadn't
been worked for a few years?

It's quite something to pick, rinse and have produce on the plate
within 30 mins (via the steamer) ;-) I've resisted applying chemicals
or doing anything much that would run up the costs as that sorta
defeats the object. The BIL

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.

It's mainly grass now plus the odd taller thing. Had I been more
ardent I probably would have pulled the baby tomato plant out with the
weeds!

Next year use longer canes for your beans!

These things must be 9' long as it is!

Potatoes would be good next year.

Instead or as well as Pam? This may be a silly question but could I
have a single vertical row of beans at the back near the fence with
spuds at the front (maybe .5m between them?). I layed out these cane
'tripods' so that each plant had the most free space but the rearmost
ones don't seem to have fared so well .. lack of light I suppose (oh
well, you live and learn) ;-)

You have to dig over the soil to
plant, and then dig again to harvest them, so it helps clear weedy
ground.

Ok .. the most prolific weed is that running ivy stuff .. tries to
climb up my runners .. 'oh no you don't' ! You start pulling the stuff
out and you see a bush move 3 gardens away!

If you grow any brassicas (cabbage family) you will have to be very
vigilant against the slugs, snails and caterpillars; maybe pigeons
too.

I would have asked if I could grow such in raised boxes but as I have
removed snails from the bean plants 8' from the floor I can't see that
helping? ;-(

Well done that friend who gave you such a useful present.

Indeed .. he even gave me the 32cc strimmer / bushcutter ... a very
good friend indeed ;-) Mind you, I have spent quite a bit of time
sorting his PC .. he loves to download and try stuff sigh

Are you
going to dig up your concrete and cultivate your own plot also?

I don't think so Pam. Given the choice we need the concrete for my
electric car and our motorbikes more than we need (at the moment) home
grown produce (especially with it so cheap at the market at the top of
the road twice a week)?

Pam in Bristol

All the best Pam and thanks for your help / advice ;-)

T i m.

p.s. I've read that if I let a few beans go to seed I could dry and
use those beens for next year? So, do I reserve a few beans now, or
uses one of the ones at the end?