First Broad Beans

I started picking my broad beans today. The beans are mostly right up at the top of the plants leaving a couple of feet of bare stems below. Next year I might wait until August. Or at least try planting two lots a month apart and apply a bit of science to the whole enterprse. Still, for the next couple of weeks I'll get enough for a few good meals.



The Three Sisters Revisited

Last year I made an attempt at a companion planting combination called the three sisters. This involves planting corn, beans and pumphins together. The corn supports the climbing beans, the pumpkins shade the soil and prevent weeds and the beans help fix nitrogen for next years crops. It didn't work, mainly, I think, because I planted the beans too late and they were shaded out of existence by the corn. This year I've planted everything at the same time. The pumkins are going to be grown vertically as usual but I've put in a bean seed next to the corn seeds. They're up and going so we'll see what happens.