The Greedy Gardener

I decided to resow three trays of beans because of the disastrous effect that the cold, wet weather has had on the ones I carefully sowed in May. They grow so quickly in these longest days of the year; these were sown five days before the photo was taken, and just five more days later, they are already a couple of inches high with two true leaves. They’re now sitting on my patio getting used to the great outdoors before I plant them out on the allotment next week.

The climbing French beans should produce a decent crop, albeit later than usual, but I’m taking a bit of a chance by resowing Borlottis as they need a bit longer to produce beans big enough to eat - you eat the seeds like broad beans. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a warm dry autumn like last year, in which case, I’ll still have a good harvest of one of my favourite vegetables.

Sunday on the allotment was less cold and the sky a paler shade of grey than we’ve had of late. The forecast is for this dismal spell to lift later in the week and it can’t come soon enough for my greenhouse and poly tunnel that are bursting with plants that I thought I’d be planting out by now. I’ve planted cucumbers, basil and tomatillos in the poly tunnel but the trays in the picture are full of the beans I sowed a while back. It’s too cold and windy to put them outside so I’ve been putting them outside on still days to start hardening them off. Before I had the allotment, I grew beans in my garden which is south facing and surrounded by trees. The allotment is on a west facing slope and very open site so much more exposed than my garden despite just being a few hundred yards away.

The first year I grew there, I was caught out by frost and wind damage to crops when my garden was untouched. It just goes to show how important it is to work with your situation and not force things - I’ve begun to sow beans a couple of weeks later. Hopefully the weather will settle so I can put the beans out next weekend, but next year I think I’ll sow them even later still.

My lean to that doubles as a greenhouse is bursting with seedlings and plants but the weather has been so awful lately that I can’t even think about putting any of them outside yet. Everything is competing for light and space so I’ve taken a few trays down to the allotment and put them in the polytunnel, covered with fleece because even in there, night time temperatures can be rather chilly. At least I can reach the back door now.

I’m particularly concerned about some of my tomato plants. I sowed some in early March and they shot up in the warm sunny weather we had then but the heritage varieties I sowed a bit later are still tiny and have hardly grown in the past few weeks. A couple of people at the allotment this morning have said the same thing - we put it down to a combination of cold, damp weather and grey skies. Tomatoes are susceptible to low light levels and I think the younger plants with their smaller leaves have found it especially difficult. The generation monitor on our solar panels has barely registered anything this week, which would back up this theory.

The bigger tomato plants are getting by in the lean to but the younger ones have been moved into the warmth of the spare bedroom where there’s a big windowsill and I can keep the door shut and cat proof. In other years, the long window in my office has provided valuable propagation space. However, since the feline population of the household trebled last autumn, it’s now off limits to plants as it’s their prime spot for taunting next door’s dog - several trays of seedlings ended up all over my sofa in the excitement earlier in the year.

Just back from a very splendid time at the inaugural Warehouse Cafe allotment club and seed swap. Good food and garden tips were also shared at what will be a regular get together, meeting on the last Monday of each month at 7pm. It was nice to meet some fellow enthusiasts including allotmenteering and get an update from the Balcony Larder. 

If you live in the vicinity you can join in the fun and have some of the chervil, Greek cress and heritage variety runner bean seeds pictured here to grow yourself. There are a very limited amount available at the Warehouse to the first people who call to collect.

I’ve already posted on how to grow beans and the other other two are even easier, just rake a patch of soil, scatter the seed, cover with a bit more soil and keep well watered. The cress will be ready to eat in about 6 weeks time - just trim off the leaves as you want them with scissors. Chervil takes a bit longer to produce its lovely feathery, slightly aniseed flavoured leaves and may well run to seed if we get warm weather. Don’t worry, because the flowers are also edible and if you leave it to self seed, you’ll end up with a regular supply with no effort at all on your part.

The various types of beans I sowed two weeks ago are all coming along nicely - these runner beans are doing particularly well. I always think the seedlings look like little elbows poking up out of the compost before they flip up and the first two leaves open. Weather like we’re having now is one of the reasons it’s good idea to sow beans indoors as the seeds tend to rot in cold, wet soil. The forecast is for more of the same so I won’t be able to think about hardening them off until it’s warmed up a bit, so my greenhouse will be chock a block for a few more weeks. There’s still time to sow beans - get them in now and they’ll be ready to go outside in about three or four weeks.

Beans of various kinds produce crunchy pods during the summer and seeds for drying in the autumn and eating through the leaner months. I grow climbing varieties up teepees of canes as they take up less space and are easier to harvest. Beans need long root runs so I start them in trays of toilet rolls filled with compost. The young plants are susceptible to cold and need hardening off, then plant the whole thing, cardboard and all when the risk of frost is past in late May/early June.

A really useful variety is Blue Lake that produces masses of green beans in summer then later, white, haricot type dried beans that are excellent in soups and stews. Helda has long, flattened pods that can stay on the plant without going stringy for far longer than other varieties. Purple podded varieties such as Blauhilde are decorative and easier to spot amongst the foliage.

I also grow two different heritage varieties of runner beans, Red Knight with scarlet flowers and Painted Lady which has attractive red and white flowers. I save my own seed and unfortunately, I’ve mixed them up so it will be pot luck as to which is which until the flowers appear.

Borlotti beans such as the Italian “fire tongue” Barlotto Lingua di Fuoco, are also extremely attractive. The beautifully striped red pods produce delicious beans with a close, creamy texture for drying or eating fresh like broad beans, picked while still plump and the beans speckled red and white. For me, fresh borlottis simmered with thyme then dressed with lemon, olive oil, parsley and garlic are one of the highlights of the gardening year.

Broad bean seedlings hardening off before they are planted out on the allotment next week. I’m not a big fan of broad beans, but Mr Greedy Gardener is so I’ve been persuaded to try a few this year. Personally, I find them a bit disappointing - you start with a big pile of pods but by the time you’ve shelled them from all that squashy stuff there’s about a spoonful of actual beans. Mind you, the flowers are pretty and they smell heavenly.

They’re one of the earliest vegetables to be ready in spring/early summer and can be grown over winter for a really early crop. You can sow the seed directly in the ground but starting them off indoors means a more reliable germination rate as large seeds like beans are prone to rotting or being eaten my mice.

I’m beginning to sow my first seeds in pots in the greenhouse, but it will soon be warm enough to sow outside. I’ve started to save my own seed from certain things, including beans. I’ve got a big jarful I collected last autumn, some to eat, some to sow. The speckled seeds in the photo are runner beans which are edible but not the tastiest dried bean you’ll ever meet. However, they are very beautiful - thanks to Mr Geoff for this pic.