Yesterday all morning and into early afternoon it was cloudy and pleasant. After two hot sunny days I was happy to get outside and into the garden. The first thing that hit me was the scent of the dianthus. This one, allwoodii alpinus, I grew from seed decades ago. I used to have a lot of them, all different, but over the years and over changing houses(a couple of times), this is the only one that is still alive. It seems to survive whatever soil it is put in. It survives when it is dry without water and it doesn't seem to care if it gets wet. It spreads very slowly. It is one of my favorite flowers. Its only flaw is that it doesn't seem to attract the bees. Though maybe that is good since I'm trying to get it to surround my little walking path. I often walk barefoot on those bricks. It wouldn't do to step on a bee.
I was just out looking for an excuse to be in the garden and I found one. The beans were starting to look for something to grasp on to. I had the poles in the ground, but I hadn't put up any string. Mother nature decided she would be cruel though. Just at that time the sun came out and the temperature rose about 5F. If it had been this hot and sunny earlier I wouldn't have stepped out the door and I could have been in comfort, blissfully ignorant. But I knew I had to give the beans something to climb before they tangled themselves up.
So I added two crossbars with bamboo and put up a string wherever there was a plant. Of course I can never seem to be there and not do the little things. I picked out the weeds in the path I was on, and the crabgrass that was sprouting up in the bed. In addition I thinned out the beans. I wanted one every six inches. The only gap is with the yard long beans. One set of seeds didn't sprout. Maybe I should go out and put some more seed? Or maybe one will branch and fill in my gap.
I was hot and sweaty but it was done. In addition I added a couple of supports for the wind. In this section of the garden the bad winds tend to blow one way. So I only braced them on one side.
Your dianthus looks wonderful! I just noticed my runner beans starting to shoot up, so will set up trellis for them tonight as well. It's so nice to have cooler day with some rain for a change.
ReplyDeleteI'm like you with the little jobs in the garden. I go out to do one job and end up doing lots. My Runner Beans and Climbing French Beans are well away now - climbing enthusiastically.
ReplyDeleteThe dianthus is beautiful! And it seems to be easy care - which is awesome for me as I often neglect the ornamental beds in favour of the vegetable beds. My beans are just starting to poke through the soil (thankfully - was a bit worried there for a while), so I too will be putting the trellis up in the next few days
ReplyDeleteA question, please. Did I see onions planted next to your beans? I thought I ready that they could not be planted next to each other, or the beans wouldn't grow well? Curious to know if you've tried it before. Would free up space in my garden if I didn't have to follow that "rule."
ReplyDeleteThanks. Anna
Nope I've never done it before. But they seem happy enough. I have heard of not planting onions near peas. I've done that before without any trouble. The ones near the onions grew just as well as the ones not near them. Of course when I start to pull them up I'm sure the beans won't be happy about it. I'll have to be very careful as beans hate getting their roots disturbed.
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