Shady Beans

Setting out veggie starts late in the season means that during the rooting process, they are subject to the high heat of the summer sun.  After setting out some bean starts this week, I attached a piece of shade cloth to the support poles to provide shade for the plants.  I plan  to expose the plants to the sun for a few hours each day starting next week.

I've set out veggie starts before to find them wilting by 4 pm.  So far the plants have flourished and not one case of wilting leaves.

Shade Cloth Experiment in the Garden

After a spring of fresh garden lettuce, I was having a hard time letting go of the daily fresh lettuce selection. After all the spring lettuce bolted, and the poles for beans were in place, a solution was staring me in the face. The space between the pole beans would be an excellent location for lettuce growing under a piece of shade cloth.

The shade cloth purports to shade 70% of the sun from the plants below. So far, the experiment is a success. I have wonderful lettuces growing in abundance below the cloth. The real test will come as we leave the month of June with its heavy marine layers each day. I will be happy if the lettuce keeps producing for four more weeks.