Comments on: Garden Experiments http://www.homesteaderlife.christianagrarian.com/2005/08/12/garden-experiments/ Christian Agrarian Counterculture Wed, 03 Dec 2008 23:03:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Jeff Schmidt http://www.homesteaderlife.christianagrarian.com/2005/08/12/garden-experiments/#comment-510 Jeff Schmidt Sat, 13 Aug 2005 17:34:00 +0000 http://www.homesteaderlife.christianagrarian.com/2005/08/12/garden-experiments/#comment-510 I plant bush beans in intensive 4ft. wide beds and find I get very high yields. The plants are cheek-by-jowl (only about 3-4 inches apart). In fact, I am no longer going to grow pole beans because the bush beans are yielding more produce per square foot. We use a lot of dried beans so next year, I am going to plant more beans that are better suited for those recipes, like Anasazi beans. It is much easier than canning as well. Just let them dry on the vine. Good to hear that you like the lasagna method. I am strongly considering going that route next year. I have been collecting extra lawn clippings and will gather all of the leaves that I can this fall. Just remember to add some lime (if you don't have enough ashes), since all of the straw, hay, peat, etc usually adds acidity. I plant bush beans in intensive 4ft. wide beds and find I get very high yields. The plants are cheek-by-jowl (only about 3-4 inches apart). In fact, I am no longer going to grow pole beans because the bush beans are yielding more produce per square foot.

We use a lot of dried beans so next year, I am going to plant more beans that are better suited for those recipes, like Anasazi beans. It is much easier than canning as well. Just let them dry on the vine.

Good to hear that you like the lasagna method. I am strongly considering going that route next year. I have been collecting extra lawn clippings and will gather all of the leaves that I can this fall. Just remember to add some lime (if you don’t have enough ashes), since all of the straw, hay, peat, etc usually adds acidity.

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