I have always grown climbing french beans; I love how they create structure and height in a kitchen garden. Their height has always led me to think they’ll provide far greater croppers than the smaller dwarf french bean varieties. To test my theory which I have come up against opposition with, I’ve grown a mixture of climbing and dwarf French beans.
My theory has been blown out of the water. The dwarf plants are the most amazing bean factories, under their canopy of foliage they seem to pop out beans from no-where. I think this will be the last year of climbing french beans. I will rely on my runner beans and mangetout for the stately structure in the kitchen garden from now on.
French beans harvested from the dwarf plants
My broad beans have been delicious this year and we’ve had a huge crop. The plants are now starting to yellow and go over so I have just harvested the last broad bean pods, too many for us to eat so I’ll blanch them in boiling water for 1 minute and then freeze.
Broad beans waiting to be shelled
When digging out the plants be sure to rub all the nitrogen fixing nodules off the roots, it’s great fertilizer for the soil. I’ve just popped cape gooseberries or physalis in after them, I fear there’re going in too late in the year, but fingers crossed we’ll get a late September harvest.
The physalis plants taking up residence after the broad beans
My Aunt who has always grown lovely fruit and vegetables, sent me her recipe for baby summer vegetables, we tried it out last night on friends who popped round for a BBQ supper, a great hit and will become one of our mainstay summer dishes.
Auntie Deb’s baby summer vegetables
Broad beans – shelled, blanched and skins taken off
Fresh baby or chantenay carrots
Peas
Bulbous spring onions
Mint and chives
Dressing ingredients
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Grated zest of one lemon
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
8 tablespoons of olive oil
2 teaspoons of mustard powder
Put all the dressing ingredients in a jam jar, fasten the lid tight and shake vigorously until well mixed. Steam the carrots for 4 minutes; add the spring onions and peas, steam for another 3 minutes. Remove steamer and water from pan leaving the carrots peas and spring onions, add the broad beans and dressing, cook over a gentle heat for a minute or so. Add the herbs, stir and serve.