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Post by chrysanthemum on May 19, 2023 17:24:03 GMT -6
I think I agree with you, macmex, about pictures not really capturing the exquisite beauty of cowpea blossoms. Heavyhitterokra, I’m with you on not getting tired of seeing vines climb a trellis. I love that. Even though it won’t be the same as real life, this morning I tried to snap a few photos anyway. My longest bean is over a foot [the little guy went inside and got a measuring tape]. Some are starting to grow through the trellis now, too. Fun.
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Post by chrysanthemum on May 22, 2023 22:02:28 GMT -6
I picked the thickest of our Red Noodle Beans tonight. I had a head of broccoli in the garden that needed picking. It wasn’t large enough to feed six, so I added the Red Noodle beans to round out a sauté with garlic. It was quite tasty. There are more to come, and I’m excited about that.
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Post by chrysanthemum on May 26, 2023 18:59:28 GMT -6
I’ve been looking forward to red noodle beans sautéed with Shishito peppers for a few weeks now since the plants started blossoming. Today was the day. Some to the beans were two feet long, and there are more on the vines that will be ready soon. I think the beans will outproduce the peppers, so I’ll have to come up with other dishes. We enjoy them sautéed by themselves, too, but I’ll have to see what else I can come up with.
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Post by woodeye on May 26, 2023 22:42:35 GMT -6
That is simply outstanding, chrysanthemum!
I just caught myself violating the 11th commandment. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's Beans & Peppers...🤗
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Post by chrysanthemum on May 29, 2023 14:58:23 GMT -6
That made me chuckle, Woodeye, though I do think the tenth commandment covers it with the last clause “or anything that is your neighbor’s”. Then there’s also First John Chapter One, Verse Ten: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse of all unrighteousness. Be warned that some more temptation might be coming your way if you like dilly beans. The red noodle beans are growing super well right now. I took this picture this morning before I harvested two quarts’ worth. There are lots more out there that will be ready quite soon. I’m really loving this crop right now. Our pastor has long wanted to learn more about fermentation, and since today was a holiday, my husband and I had a little more free time, and Pastor has the day off as well. He came over this morning, and I showed him all my ingredients for making cucumber pickles and dilly beans. I showed him how I pack the jars [he has actually built his own with air lock lids, so he’s prepared], and how I make the brine. I gave him one jar of the cucumber pickles to take home to observe the fermentation process. I sure hope everything will turn out well. I kept one jar so that I can make sure that mine do okay.
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Post by chrysanthemum on Jun 6, 2023 18:19:03 GMT -6
I went out to harvest red noodle beans this morning and was greeted with quite an unwelcome sight. They were just covered with insects, and I was worried that they might be “kissing bugs.” A family in the neighborhood had discovered an insect in their home which someone else identified as a kissing bug, and there’s been concern about that going around. I spent some time this morning reading about kissing bugs because they can be carriers/transmitters of a parasite that can be harmful to both dogs and humans. I was very concerned about the numbers of bugs on my beans, especially if the produce was possibly contaminated be parasites. The thing that didn’t make sense to me, though, would be why a bloodsucking insect would be all over my bean plants in particular. I decided to get the best photos I could and do a little closer examination. After doing more searches, I think I’ve reassured myself that these are Conchuela Stink Bugs. I found several mentions of the pods of legumes being a particular favorite of these insects. I probably should go look on the the mesquite tree down the street to see if the bugs are there or not or if it has pods. Apparently those can be a favorite. I also understand that these bugs can tap not just into the pod but into the bean itself inside the pod, and that can cause problems with future germination of saved seeds. I am planning to save seeds again, and the infestation was so heavy this morning that I reluctantly got out my diatomaceous earth and dusted the vines. I don’t like the fact that DE can harm beneficial insects as well, but I haven’t seen many on the beans. I dusted all the bugs I could see in the late morning, but then we got a surprise rain shower in the late afternoon. I’m hoping the few hours of DE will help knock back the stink bugs but that the rain washed it off the vines enough that it won’t be such a problem for beneficials.
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Post by chrysanthemum on Jun 28, 2023 17:43:08 GMT -6
I haven’t updated my stink bug infestation, I see. The county entomologist did confirm that they were Conchuela Stink Bugs and not a hazard to humans. Nevertheless, they are a hazard to my bean crop, so I have been keeping a jar of soapy water in the garden. I caught more than a cup the first day, I think, and then I just kept after them. I also did another dusting of DE. The drowning and the the dusting have knocked the population way back, though I can still find some every day if I look for them. I continued to let my beans dry on the vine. Not all of them seem well filled out, but I decided to harvest today since the morning was a little cooler at seventy three degrees. Most of the pods need more drying, so they’re inside now to finish up. I figure that even if I can only get some good beans out of this, some is better than none. I do still have saved seed from last year as well.
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Post by hmoosek on Jun 30, 2023 10:25:23 GMT -6
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