At the same time I also feel very slightly depressed; a reminder that another circle has been joined, another year gone by.
This year I returned to an old favourite dwarf French bean; Contender. A heavy cropper, and very tender. I don't even 'top and tail'; just 'top'. Over the past few years I've followed friends' recommendations of new varieties, and have been disapointed by the size of the plants I've grown. No, not small, but far too big; almost like runners. Contender remains reasonably dwarf and compact, which is what I want.
With my successional sowings, we should be eating beans (in one form or another) for several months to come. Bonne appetit.
I love beans. I actually grew some in England once so maybe I should give them a go on the balcony. I wonder how they would go in a pot?
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping to crop some French beans this weekend although they're still a bit small. I love them tossed in a little garlic butter on top of a salad. (No Little Stalky - you're balcony is not big enough!)
ReplyDeleteWe love them tossed in Mayo too.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean Cro. I've never been more aware of time until I started growing veg, the seasons and crops clearly defining the passing of another year.
ReplyDeleteEspecially poignant when, for some reason or other, you loose a crop and know you'll have to wait a whole year before you can do it again!
Nice plate.
Lovely looking beans Cro. Now, on to the pickling.
ReplyDeleteThey are beautiful. I know what you mean about the circle of growing things. When my zinnias bloom and the sunflower house is finally tall, it'll be time for me to go back to school.
ReplyDeleteI only grow tomatoes and herbs, but I am fortunate to be surrounded by farm land. They do the work and I eat.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean by the passing of time though. We wait and wait for the season to plant, we watch with pride as they grow, and we hope for a good harvest. Come the fall/winter, we eat the (canned) fruits of our labor and think back with fond memories on the gardens we had. C'est la vie!
Are your gardens almost done? We still have much to look forward to here. The early corn is about to come to market and the tomatoes are looking good.
Although the rabbits put a huge dent in our green bean crop, I am still getting some everyday and oh, how I love fresh green beans. I am planting some more, and hope they do well. I got my first ripe, red tomato today! And, a handful of greenbeans and a wonderful zucchini! Gardening is so rewarding. I favor the Contenders too.
ReplyDeleteThey look wonderful. And there's that lovely plate I like so much.
ReplyDeleteWe've just had a workshop lunch with double podded broad beans! yum! A little olive oil and lemon added and some fresh onion and parsley...well other goodies...but we're talkin' beans here!
ReplyDeleteblog is playing up so I'm going to try anonymous! Geraldine snape
GS. I've given up growing Broad Beans... mine got so many diseases and bugs that it put me off. Maybe I'll begin again this winter; I love them, especially when tossed with a little finely sliced bacon. Oh yes!
ReplyDeleteHope your machine is working again. We were down all day yesterday!!!
You must have quite the vegetable garden. We used to plant a wide variety, but now all we have are some tomatoes. With the cost of veggies in the stores these days, it might be worth it to garden again. It just gets so darned hot here in the summers.
ReplyDeleteLook like they are lovely and juicy Cro, you must be very proud of your garden.
ReplyDeleteLovely beans, always rather sweet when cooked immediately after picking.
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