Runners, Greens And Comfrey

Runner beans
Dirty Nails has worked his runner beans hard and consistently since July. They have responded to his meticulous preparation and care magnificently, but now are virtually spent. He filled his trug for the last time this week before consigning them to the compost heap.

Dirty Nails always snips the stem just above ground level because there is a lot of nitrogen goodness in bean roots that will be returned to the soil as they decompose. Canes are then untied, pulled up, turned upside down, and the whole 6 feet (2 metres) or more of runner bean stem and leaf are slipped off in one go. There are always fat pods of beans, drying and dried, hidden away. Some of these can be saved for sowing next year.

Leaf beet and Swiss chard
Dirty Nails has been stripping his March-sown leaf beet and Swiss chard this week. He has removed all the big, tough outside leaves, leaving only a whorl of small, tender greenery. He carefully pulls the leaves, tugging downwards and sideways at once, or cuts them with a sharp knife. They should respond to this seemingly harsh treatment by growing more leaves for winter greens.

While the weather is mild they can be left as they are, but before the first cold snap Dirty Nails will mulch them thickly with straw or dry bracken to keep them cosy.

Comfrey
Comfrey continues to grow in abundance. Dirty Nails has cut his right back again and stuffed the leaves into an old wormery bin. He keeps on top of his nettles too, which ensures a regular flush of fresh nettle tops. These are also put into the old wormery. Reward for this work is the potent liquid manure which will be strained off in early spring and used to feed all of next season’s crops.

Natural History In The Garden: Badgers In September

Badgers have had a busy month. They will have been fattening up for winter and high on their menu right now will be blackberries. This wild harvest grows abundantly all over. Finishing touches will be made to sett renovations or extensions. Dry grass and other vegetation are much sought after by badgers for bedding, and they will be collecting as much as they can to cosy-up their underground dwelling.

Vegetable Snippets: An Experiment With Beans

The difference between runner and French beans can be easily seen at seedling stage. In runners the bean splits open whereupon a shoot pushes up and out from within. The two bean halves are called cotyledons. They are the embryonic first seed-leaves (not true leaves at all) and remain underground after germination. French beans develop differently at this stage. As they respond to moisture the cotyledons arch up and out of the soil on top of a root shoot, then break apart to reveal the leaves inside.

Such quirks are easily demonstrated in a fun experiment for kids of all ages. By stuffing a jam jar full with damp (but not dripping) toilet paper or kitchen towels, and pushing a mix of three or four beans halfway down the sides against the glass, their progress can be followed. Subtle differences in germination can be observed and noted by the youngsters. A simple activity like this is fun, educational, and can have the added bonus of inspiring a lifelong interest in growing plants for future generations of budding gardeners.