I do not recall selling the family cow for a handful of magic beans, but the way my pole beans are heading for the sky makes me wonder. I have erected supports up to 6 feet and they have long since passed that height. It’s as if they are daring the Giant to climb down the beanstalk – or for me to climb up?
I have had decent luck growing pole beans in seasons past, except for the rabbits. I think Buggs Bunny would pass up a fresh carrot for a juicy pole bean plant if given the choice, but this year – knock on wood – our short, double-lined fence around the garden has kept the thieving varmints out. We have been vigilant about applying insecticides and have watered the plants when they looked thirsty and I think we’ll have a great crop.
This spring, I planted Kentucky Wonder pole beans, which have a great flavor. The beans are brown, not white, which I prefer.
One of the great things about pole beans comes at harvest time. You don’t have to crouch down like Igor to pick them. They are usually around eye level and easy to gather. When it comes time to put them on the stove, I like the southern way of “frying” the beans. Basically, you put the beans in water with a little fat back and boil the water down to almost nothing, add more water and repeat until the beans are firm and almost black in color. It’s a little labor intensive, but they are fantastic that way.
So far, I have no blooms on my beans, they are still growing. Once they figure out that they have reached their limit, then they will bloom and produce.
I might need a ladder to pick them, but if I hear one “Fee fi fo fum”, I’m outta there.