In what is undoubtedly a magical turn of events, the peas have grown bushy and started flowering. The spinach looks happy. And the radishes, on which we’ve been gorging (slight exaggeration but even one radish can be considered gorging), are almost too strong-tasting now to be edible. On the other hand, the beans do not look happy. They all sprouted, dutifully, like soldiers presenting themselves for inspection. But something is eating them, right down to the bare stem in some cases. This unnamed predator seems to be going for the baby pepper plants as well. I guess I’ll just sit back and wait. If they all die, I’ll plant something else there and maybe try some beans elsewhere in the garden. Today I put in something called an “asparagus bean,” which grows to be two or three feet long -- but is best for eating at about 18 inches. For its growing pleasure (assuming, of course, that a miracle will occur and that the seeds will sprout), I moved in some old wooden extension ladders that we picked up somewhere. The ladders are much too rickety for climbing, but we knew, somehow, that they had second lives to lead. One winter a pair of them served as a bird seed holder outside the kitchen window. And now a pair will support the asparagus beans … should they sprout … should they not be eaten by some mysterious bugs … should they consent to grow up the ladder.
Do your slugs like beer? I think I remember that my Mom would put down aluminum pie pans with cheap beer for the slugs. If your magic beans sprout and grow, I hope you get a shot or two to post.
