"Sequoia" Bush Romano Beans

Well here we have it! The first flower to bloom on the bush beans. We've had so many dark and wet days these babies should have bloomed several days ago. "Sequoia" is a purple, stringless Romano-type, (Italian flat bean) that is to be eaten whole - like a string bean. The purple color will stay if they are eaten raw. Cooking will turn 'em green. What fun is that? I enjoy colorful food. Add raw "Sequoia" beans to salads, eat them with dips or chop them up in a tuna salad served in a red tomato! What fabulous colors! Bush beans mature much faster than pole beans, 53 days as opposed to 65-70 days... and most of the beans show up all at once.

Leafhoppers on my beans!

My beans have leafhoppers! Here's the scoop: nymphs and adults suck juices from stems and the underside of leaves leaving a mottled appearance on the topside of leaves. Leafhoppers are either green or brown, some have color bands on their wings. These creatures are small and numerous. They have big, strong hind legs and jump like crazy when disturbed. They excrete honeydew as they are feeding, just like aphids do. Their toxic saliva causes leaves to distort with crinkled, warty or rolled edges. Some leafhoppers can spread viruses from plant to plant. Insecticidal soap will work on nymphs, neem or pyrethrins will control adults. It looks like my bean leaves have nymphs hanging-out underneath. I'm reaching for the insecticidal soap right now!

Farmers Market at Daley Center

At today's market there was plenty of sunshine and lots of plants. Vendors are still selling herbs galore, hanging baskets of petunias and tomato plants. Herbs are ranging in price from $2 to $3 and tomato plants @ $5. Sweet cherries were being boxed up at $4 a pint. It seems early for sweet cherries. I say that every year. But this year it really does seem early. There still is time to buy strawberries, spring onions, rhubarb and asparagus.

Pictured are my bean plants basking in the sun on my roof deck. They are in a large clay pot measuring 21" across and 12" deep. The Sequoia, (purple) bush beans and Bush Blue Lake were direct sown on April 28. Flower buds are present & I am impatiently expecting them to bloom in the next few days if we have sun and warmth. Fresh veggies can't be beat!

What's up with the weather?

We've had enough rain. That's always a good thing. How about some warm, sunny weather?! It was threatening to drop below 50 last night so I brought the basil in. It has been so darn cold that nothing seems to be growing. The bush beans are just hanging out, the tomato plants look blue, the peppers aren't even putting out flowers and the swiss chard hasn't grown in over a week. The roof, (my major growing area) is exposed to plenty of sun...if it would just come out! I'm trying some new planters this year, (Earth Boxes) for my veggies and can't wait to see things take off.