So, about 2 months ago we planted 6 string beans plants (along with lots of other stuff). They are growing like crazy and today I noticed there are tons of beans growing. I've never grown them before and I'm not sure when to harvest. Is it purely based on size? Color looks good. Shape looks good. They just range from about 1/2" long on the small size to maybe 4" long and the thickness a little smaller than a pencil... for sure smaller than store bought beans.

Do I just pick them when they are the size we are used to?

FYI: the 4 zucchini plants are going crazy. First time with those. I planted 4 not knowing they get huge. They are probably squished into the space where 1 should be and crowding out my underperforming strawberries.

Pick them when they look like they do in the grocery store. You can pick as they grow, or pick til thin and replant in the same spot depending on your weather. Too hot they won't do a second round, moderate temps, pull entire plant, pick, then replant. Even better if weather allows plant 2 weeks apart and pick/pull every two weeks.

PS 4 Zucchini will produce enough for your entire street.

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:
Pick them when they look like they do in the grocery store. You can pick as they grow, or pick til thin and replant in the same spot depending on your weather. Too hot they won't do a second round, moderate temps, pull entire plant, pick, then replant. Even better if weather allows plant 2 weeks apart and pick/pull every two weeks.

PS 4 Zucchini will produce enough for your entire street.

Great, thanks! It does get hot here. Hit 100 for the first time today, but I keep them well watered. I'll pick them as they get big enough. It kind of looks like they'd enjoy being on a trellis or something. Is that correct?

The tomatos and bell peppers are pretty much duds so far.

The zucchini came in a 6 pack but I only planted 4 because we're not big on them. Guess I made a tactical error. They languished as sad little droopy plants for about a month and then BAM, they're the size of a Volkswagen over night.

Yeah, learn a zucchini bread recipe. Plenty to choose from.

You can can the excess beans. Never tried freezing snap beans, though white peas do ok... dammit, I'm hungry.

quote:

Originally posted by thumperfbc:

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:
Pick them when they look like they do in the grocery store. You can pick as they grow, or pick til thin and replant in the same spot depending on your weather. Too hot they won't do a second round, moderate temps, pull entire plant, pick, then replant. Even better if weather allows plant 2 weeks apart and pick/pull every two weeks.

PS 4 Zucchini will produce enough for your entire street.

Great, thanks! It does get hot here. Hit 100 for the first time today, but I keep them well watered. I'll pick them as they get big enough. It kind of looks like they'd enjoy being on a trellis or something. Is that correct?

The tomatos and bell peppers are pretty much duds so far.

The zucchini came in a 6 pack but I only planted 4 because we're not big on them. Guess I made a tactical error. They languished as sad little droopy plants for about a month and then BAM, they're the size of a Volkswagen over night.

You will likely only be able to plant one round of green beans, pick as they look ready, and enjoy. You may get lucky if you replant now and get second crop, but not likely if it's already hitting 100.

Tomatoes and bell peppers both have long times until they have mature fruit. Early girls are around 60 days, most other variety are over 75 days. Peppers are really sensitive, but usually take 70 days + to get fruit.

We put in 4 golden cherry tomato plants and one early girl. One of the golden plants has given us a few tomatoes but not a ton. There is one or two on the early girl that are a still a ways away from being ready. The other 3 golden cherry? Lots of flowers, no fruit. I shake them gently a couple times a week to try and help pollination but it doesn't seem to be working.

I plant Blue Lake 274 and usually get three crops. I also plant a row every two or three weeks apart. I mulch with leaf compost and water well if there has been no rain.

In the neighborhood I grew up in out east of Denver, you didn't leave your car unlocked during zucchini season. If you did, you were likely to find a grocery bag full of zucchini from the neighbor in it.

quote:

Originally posted by thumperfbc:
We put in 4 golden cherry tomato plants and one early girl. One of the golden plants has given us a few tomatoes but not a ton. There is one or two on the early girl that are a still a ways away from being ready. The other 3 golden cherry? Lots of flowers, no fruit. I shake them gently a couple times a week to try and help pollination but it doesn't seem to be working.

If you are getting flowers but no fruit it's usually a deficiency of some sort. What did you plant them in? Some AG colleges will test the soil for $10-15 for you. I know VA Tech does.

You don't need to do anything to get them to pollinate. Wind and insects will do it for you. They won't pollinate at 100℉ it damages the little sperms. You may need to plant earlier in the year or consider heat tolerant varieties. Google to find varieties, I'm not sure what's best.

If potted, try bringing in at night. Best advice I've ever received comes from 90+ year old man that runs greenhouse near me. I suggest asking someone similar in your area as I'm unfamiliar with CA weather.

quote:

Originally posted by arfmel:
In the neighborhood I grew up in out east of Denver, you didn't leave your car unlocked during zucchini season. If you did, you were likely to find a grocery bag full of zucchini from the neighbor in it.

Ha! There's a joke about that. Love it.

My wife made some zucchini pancakes last year that were amazing.

Here's the recipe.
• 2 medium zucchini (about 3/4 pound)
• 2 tablespoons grated red onion
• 2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
• 6 to 8 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Unsalted butter and vegetable oil

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Grate the zucchini into a bowl using the large grating side of a box grater. Immediately stir in the onion and eggs. Stir in 6 tablespoons of the flour, the baking powder, salt, and pepper. (If the batter gets too thin from the liquid in the zucchini, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour.)

• Heat a large (10 to 12-inch) saute pan over medium heat and melt 1/2 tablespoon butter and 1/2 tablespoon oil together in the pan. When the butter is hot but not smoking, lower the heat to medium-low and drop heaping soup spoons of batter into the pan. Cook the pancakes about 2 minutes on each side, until browned.
•
• Place the pancakes on a sheet pan and keep warm in the oven. Wipe out the pan with a dry paper towel, add more butter and oil to the pan, and continue to fry the pancakes until all the batter is used. The pancakes can stay warm in the oven for up to 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Makes about 9, three-inch pancakes
Serving is 3 pancakes per person
Weight Watchers = 3 points


2006, Barefoot Contessa at Home, All Rights Reserved

Pasted from <http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/zucchini-pancakes-recipe.html>

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:

quote:

Originally posted by thumperfbc:
We put in 4 golden cherry tomato plants and one early girl. One of the golden plants has given us a few tomatoes but not a ton. There is one or two on the early girl that are a still a ways away from being ready. The other 3 golden cherry? Lots of flowers, no fruit. I shake them gently a couple times a week to try and help pollination but it doesn't seem to be working.

If you are getting flowers but no fruit it's usually a deficiency of some sort. What did you plant them in? Some AG colleges will test the soil for $10-15 for you. I know VA Tech does.

You don't need to do anything to get them to pollinate. Wind and insects will do it for you. They won't pollinate at 100℉ it damages the little sperms. You may need to plant earlier in the year or consider heat tolerant varieties. Google to find varieties, I'm not sure what's best.

If potted, try bringing in at night. Best advice I've ever received comes from 90+ year old man that runs greenhouse near me. I suggest asking someone similar in your area as I'm unfamiliar with CA weather.

Everything is in a raised bed that is about 30" deep. It is filled with solid from our yard which is a bit clay like but this region is known for excellent soil... though I woujd the opposed to testing it. I know extreme heat will prevent setting of tomatos but it's only recently heated up. They've been pulling this flower/no fruit garbage since for six weeks.

Pick green/yellow beans before seed pods are visible.
They will become tough and string if left too long on the plant.
Beans freeze very well and can be kept until next year's harvest.
Easy to do: pick, wash, cut off ends, cut into 2" pieces, 4 minutes in boiling water, immerse in ice water until cool, place in freezer bags, drain excess water, remove excess air with a straw, seal, label with contents and date.
Enjoy.

I used to plant Contender Snap Beans. It's a bush bean and one of the first to be ready to pick. I always loved picking them about the time my Irish Potatoes were ready to scratch around in to get a few for Snap Beans and Potatoes and Salt Meat and some Onions. Snap Beans

These things seem to have shot up overnight.

To be clear, they don't keep reproducing throughout the season like a tomato does (well not my tomatoes but somebodies) right? Once I've harvested all the beans from a plant it is done and I can pull the plant?

My greenbeans keep producing. Farmer's almanac says my area should produce green beans mid-May until mid-July (I'm guessing the oppressive heat and humidity kills 'em).

For example, last Thursday I harvested all of my green beans and ate them for dinner. I went out of town for a 4 day weekend, and there is a bunch more green beans.

BTW you should be able to plant again late summer for a fall crop, depending on your local area first average frost date.

Old Farmers Almanac lists our last frost date as Feb 1 and first frost as Dec 8. Nice long growing season but 95+ degrees of dry heat are the norm from late may until September with lots of 100+ days in there.

Looks like you have the green bean question answered so I won't add anything on that.

However, you need to open up your mind to the uses for zucchini. I can't think of a more versatile vegetable. My wife makes awesome casseroles, cakes, pickled zucchini, breaded and fried zucchini and on and on. Just go online and look for recipes and you will be amazed at the variety of ways to use it. Oh, and it freezes well so you can use it in the winter months. We love the stuff.

Jim

My parents had a huge garden in Missouri, and grew wonderful green beans. We picked them when little brown beans had formed inside. That gave the beans a meaty flavor, which I loved. They were larger in diameter than the beans that I see in the supermarket nowadays. Mom cooked them in her pressure cooker, sometimes with a bit of bacon. Lordy – wish I could buy beans like that now.