Too hot for my beans



All shriveled up

 ARGH!

When I was watering everyone, I saw that the blossoms of one of my Scarlett Runner Beans didn't look too good.

Oh no! They must have gotten too hot.

The problem is: No blossom = no beans = no food.

Scarlett Runner Beans are amazing:

Unlike most other legumes, they are not an annual. They are a perennial.

This means that once they are established, they keep growing, kinda like a bush.

Since our goal is to rely mainly on perennials (annuals suck the soil dry of nutrients), these beans play a vital role in our Suburban Homestead.

Like any legume, these beauties are also nitrogen fixers and a great source of vegetable protein.


That's how they're supposed to look


OK, so how can I help my beans?

The sun is too hard on them and they need shade.

I thought about building a little canopy which I could put up during the hottest time of the day (10am - 2pm) and after that I would roll it up again.

Of course, the rule here on the Suburban Homestead is to not buy anything new if it can be avoided!

So, I looked around in the garage and found a couple of sticks and a bit of leftover 'fabric'  that Roberto had used to build the retaining walls in the backyard.

Honestly, I dunno what this 'fabric' really is; you can get it at a Home Depot, so it really CANNOT be fabric at all.



Not pretty, but WORKIE

 With a couple of string, I created this admittedly relatively unpretty make shift canopy.

No more shriveling up my blossoms!

I don't think I will need it for too long.
 Once the plants are more established, they will not be so vulnerable anymore.

Or at least that's what I hope.


"Nature never says one thing and wisdom another." Decimus Junius Juvenalis