Time for Beans

The scarlet runner beans are just blossoming. I plant these for the hummingbirds, and I love the big, shiny, pink, and black beans. They grow on tall climbing plants, and lend themselves to growing on tee pees or arches . This year they are on wire with the moon flowers.

The green beans , yellow beans and Italian beans have been ready for picking for awhile now. Unlike most things that get picked first thing in the morning, we wait to pick the beans until the vines have dried. Beans can get "rust", and I was always told not to disturb the beans when they are wet because of it. Lately with our thunder storms every day, finding a time to get into the bean patch has been a problem.

Finally yesterday Ed had a opportunity to pick the Italian green beans. Neither one of us enjoy picking the beans. The vines make me itch, so I appreciate his doing it. The Italian beans are now in the freezer. We did get more rain last night so we will play the same game today with the yellow and green beans.

The garden is overflowing with food now, so harvesting is taking the time used for weeding before. Believe me when I say the weeds are taking advantage of this. With all this rain they are growing like weeds. There will be oodles of compost to harvest when we can get to it.

Two bluebirds were seen sitting on the posts in the garden yesterday. I didn't get the binoculars on them, but I think they were the latest babies.