Last summer was the first year I had a garden, here at Chez Badass – my rooftop garden. My very expensive rooftop garden, when you consider I had to invest a couple hundred dollars in containers and soil to grow less than $10 worth of plants and seeds. But no matter, the enjoyment I got from it was priceless.
I decided that I will focus on growing things that are hard to get at farm markets or from directly from farmers. Hence pretty much the only thing I want to grow is pole beans. Which I cannot easily source, otherwise! Why is that, I wonder? They taste so much better than bush beans.
Soon I’ll be ordering my seeds from this place:
And here is my pick for this year:
I’ll be plunking down $2.25 for these babies, plus some peat pots to start them in. Looking so forward to harvesting fresh beans most nights for supper, all summer long. Already dreaming about how good these will taste alongside my corn and tomatoes on a hot summer evening, on my rooftop patio, accompanied by a cold beer.
Do you grow anything to eat in the summer? Have you ever had pole beans?
Rock on,
The WB
Can you guess my theme for this year’s A-Z Challenge? All of my A-Z posts this month will be tied into my theme, which is represented by the title of a song that was popular when I was a child. Can you figure it out as the days (and posts) go by? Leave your guesses (one per day only, please) in the comments. At the end of the challenge, I will reveal the theme. Have fun!
Pole beans were growing here when I bought my place, but I didn’t continue with them. I kind of adore the rabbits that hop around here and the rabbits definitely adored the pole beans.
But I do love beans so if I were growing anything, that’s what it would be.
Have a good writing day tomorrow, Deb. Looking forward to reading you again on Monday.
G is for (The) Gifts of Imperfection
Thanks Karen!
We grow a few herbs, tomatoes (when the deer don’t get them) and sugar snap peas. I’m wagering my first guess on a song. “In the Summertime?”
Thanks for the guess!
I’ve never grown pole beans in the pots we have on our deck, but I rock tomatoes and herbs… if I do say so myself. Also, if the summer is dry, peppers will grow in the pots, but a humid summer does them in, pronto. I’ve not heard of William Dam Seeds and am now off to investigate.
Rocking tomatoes and herbs is amazing. I’ve never had good luck with peppers – could be because Ontario summers tend to be humid and not consistently hot enough for them.
The only things I’ve grown in recent years is lettuce, mint and basil. I grow them in pots outside the window next to my computer and they give me a lot of pleasure—the mint and basil for their smell, the basil because praying mantas like it and the lettuce because it makes great salads to pick it fresh.
Fresh basil – yes! And rosemary!!! I grew some last year and loved rubbing my fingers along the leaves to release the scent. I also grew mint, to make fresh mint tea – delicious with a touch of honey.
The last two years, I’ve grown Chinese long beans. They grow in pairs, each bean about a foot long. Other than those, my garden is pretty ordinary. Zucchini. Cherry tomatoes. Sometimes the growing season in Colorado is frustratingly short.
Ooooh, I grew Chinese long beans once many years ago. They were pretty good, but I prefer pole beans. Thanks for the comment, Jenny!
I was introduced to pole beans a couple of years ago and love them. I”m grateful that they are in plentiful supply at the Asian grocery store nearby and like you, prefer them to the string beans which I find unreliable in quality unless I’m picking them directly off the vine.
Sadly, I’m a HORRIBLE gardener. With the exception of basil, basil, basil which I LOVE, I’ve been unsuccessful at pretty much everything else. Last year’s tomato crop was worse than pathetic … but hope runs eternal and I’ll be back at it again with my tomatoes and basil this summer 🙂
Your A-to-Z list is starting to sound a lot like Julie Andrews’ My Favourite Things.
Asian grocery store, you say? I’ll have to find one near me and see if I can source pole beans there. Thanks for the guess, Joanne!
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