The green beans I planted I planted around October 1 (much later than recommended) are now producing very well. The Contender beans came in about a week before Derby, a plus for late fall plantings. It will be interesting to see if the Contenders produce multiple waves of crops as Derby does. Of course, weather may interrupt this experiment because of the late planting. This year I planted beans in my best bed and the crop is much better. I am not really sure why this bed is best, but it is probably because it gets the most sun. As the days get shorter and the shadows of building and trees get longer, locations good in the spring may not get enough sun. Last year I planted them on the most southern bed that starts getting some shade from the house in the fall. I made a crop but not nearly as much as this year. Of course, the weather has also been ideal. It is hard to run gardening experiments because of too many uncontrollable variables.
Lettuce is being picked and the white turnips are ready–the purple tops still have a ways to go. Beets are just beginning to form bulbs. We have been eating bok choi and pak choi for a couple of weeks also. (I can’t tell the difference between them; maybe it is just different spelling translations from Chinese) Mustard greens are also ready to be harvested. I won’t be buying very much at the Urban Harvest Farmers Market for a while.
My Contessa onion order will be shipped on December 15; the leeks in early January. I saved plenty of room for them. Sugar snap peas will be planted in mid December. I may try to get some “super” sugar snaps. They are supposed to be more mildew resistant. I always lose the plants to mildew, but usually they are about through producing anyhow.
