Sustainably Grown Organic Green Beans
- Where is the sun / shade? (watch the patterns during the growing season throughout the day)
- How is the land sloped? (south faces warmer & sunnier than north – use to your advantage!)
- Is it windy? (plant some trees or shrubs to act as a windbreak!)
2) Think about what you like to eat and see…
- plant some of your favorites!
- choose varieties that are suited for your climate (local garden stores usually specialize in these!)
- plan plantings that compliment each other (grow sunflowers as a trellis for pole beans!)
3) Soil is the start…
- work soil in spring only when it begins to dry (not when soggy—you’ll lose important soil structure!)
- add Organic Matter!
- add Organic Matter!
- add Organic Matter!
(…in the form of COMPOST—from kitchen scraps!…in the form of manure—complete the cycle!) - do not forget…your soil is LIVING!
4) Water is essential…
- overhead sprinklers work, but…can encourage some plant diseases…can be wasteful of water resources!
- try “drip-irrigation†(an easy way is in the form of “soaker hosesâ€â€¦cheap, yet effective!)
5) Plant wisely…
- rotate the place where you plant things each year (discourages some plant diseases!)
- use mulches (leaves, straw, clippings…) or plant cover crops between rows (will discourage weeds!)
- plant cover crops in winter (crimson clover is nice—adds Nitrogen, can buy seed in bulk for cheap!) to protect soil from erosion…to add nutrients back to the soil!