8/29/2020. So I ended my cornfield as of yesterday. Today, I planted beans and peas on the bottom of the corn plants. I plan to keep the corn stalks and hoping that beans and peas can use the stalk as a trellis and grow there. I left corn husk, dead flowers on the field as a mulch to retain moisture and hopefully, that will cover the new growth and not get attacked by ground quarrels and rabbits. Also, beans are nitrogen fixers, so I hope after this season, the soil will regain some of the nutrients back! Here is the list of beans and peas that I planted with some information. 1. Dragon Tongue Beans (Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds) Bush. This famous Dutch heirloom bean has an incomparable flavor. The tender and superbly delicious 7-inch pods are yellow with amazing purple streaks! It also makes a tasty shelled bean. Popular with chefs and gourmets. Compact plants set high yields. Sprout in 7-14 days. Ideal Temp 70-80F. Seed Depth 1/2 ~ 1". Plant spacing 4" apart. Frost hardy: NO. Min Full Sun: 8-12 hours.
2.Runner Bean Achievement (Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds) 80 days. Used by native Americans, large, beautiful, vigorous vines grow over 10 feet. The ornamental flowers grow in clusters of the brightest scarlet. Good for snap, shell or dry beans. The huge seeds are very colorful, violet-purple mottled in black. These beans like fairly cool weather.
3. Rattlesnake Pole Beans (Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds) This pole bean is easy to grow and produces lots of green pods with purple streaks. Good flavor and very tender; the speckled seeds are popular in soup. This variety is great for hot, humid areas.
4. Pea (Burpee) Sow in average soil in full sun in early spring for first crop, in late summer for fall crop. Sow seeds 2" apart in double rows spaced 6" apart with 24" between each set of rows. Cover with 1" of fine soil. Seedlings emerge in 7-14 days. 58 - 65 days to harvest.
Runner Bean Achievement
Rattlesname Pole Beans
Dragon Tongue Beans
8/29/2020 I planted beans and peas under the corn stalks. Let's see what happens!
9/7/2020 They were playing Hide & Seek! But I found them! They are all germinated under the corn stalk! Let our journey start!
9/21/2020 Beans & Peas are growing without getting attacked by rodents! Great news!
10/13/2020. Normally, Mid October feels a lot cooler... This year, it's still around high 90F. I intentionally sowed seeds little late in the season to avoid this desert heat, but... So HOT! Beans seems little stressed out. I hope they make it!
10/23/2020 Both started to flower. Peas started to form fruits!