How to Keep Your Garden Healthy in Dry Weather

Image: Gibby's Garden

When there is no rain in sight for days at a time and the humidity rises a few notches, it tends to leave garden soil hard and dry - neither of which are good for plants. Dry weather stunts plants and if it gets really bad, kills them off. To help coax your garden through dry weather - water, mulch and cultivate.

Water

Yes, I’m well aware that I’m stating the obvious here. Truth be told, I never water my gardens, even when they are dry, simply because none of them are anywhere near a hose so I don’t have that option. If you are going to drag out the hose or set up the sprinkler, make sure not to over water (no puddling), do not drag the hose across any plants and water in early mornings to prevent disease and fungus.

Mulch

That’s right - mulch. You may think covering the ground near or around your plants with a material that prevents weeds may inhibit water from penetrating the soil, but it doesn’t. A fine layer of mulch helps keep garden soil moist, because it keeps water from evaporating, especially in hot, dry weather.

The rule of thumb for mulching is to leave a 3-4 inch diameter around seedlings and rows of seeds that have recently been sown. Wait until plants have had some time to grow and anchor themselves with their roots before pushing the mulch to within an inch or two of plants.

Cultivate

Another great way to keep gardens growing healthy and strong during dry weather is to cultivate the soil around plants. Be gentle making sure not to disturb the plant’s roots, especially the roots of young plants. I use a hand cultivator to loosen the soil, especially when the soil is dry. This helps let in moisture and gives oxygen a chance to circulate.

How has the weather been in your area this gardening season? Mine has gone from sopping wet to dry and back again. 

Types and Varieties of Beans

Gibby's Garden

Types of Beans

Bush Beans: Plants are compact and do not need support unless otherwise stated. Bush beans typically produce their crop at once.

Pole Beans: Vining plants that grow best on trellises or fences. They produce beans over an extended period of time. 

Snap Beans: Snap beans can be both bush or pole varieties and are referred to as “stringless.”

Dry Beans: Beans made for shelling after plants have lost most leaves & have been allowed to dry.

Shell Beans: Beans made for shelling when fresh. Typically boiled or steamed before eating.

Colors: Green, yellow, purple

Varieties of Beans

Green Bush Beans

Advantage Bush Bean

Roma II: High-yields. Broad pods keep fresh taste and bright green color after processing. Plants grow upright. 59 days.

Early Contender: Early variety. Stringless pods grow 6-8" long and are tender. Cans and freezes well. Tolerates Mosiac Virus, heat and greasy pod. 49 days.

Blue Lake 274: High-yields produce all at once. Smooth pods grow 6-6 ½" long. Texture is firm and color is deep. 58 days.

Trofeo: High-yielding filet bean. Crisp, tender pods grow long and provide a buttery flavor. Resists Halo Blight, Anthracnose and bean Mosiac Virus. 58 days.

Jade: Long harvest period. Tender, stringless, straight pods grow 6 ½" long. Provides a sweet taste. Keeps bright green color when frozen. Easily adaptable. 60 days.

Derby: High-yields over long season. Tender, stringless pods grow to 7" long. Easy harvest. Good resistance to bean Mosiac Virus. 57 days.

Provider: Early variety. Adapts easily. Grows well in cool soil. 50 days.

Fresh Pick: High-yielding over extended period. Plants grow large; fewer needed for large crop. 53 days.

Foremost: High-yields. Medium-sized plants can be hand or machine harvested. 53 days.

E-Z Pick: Beans mature all at once for an easy harvest. Plants are sturdy and upright. 55 days.

Venture: Extra-early variety. Extended harvest. Pods are crisp and tender and grow to 5”.  Great for northern gardens; tolerates cool soil. 48 days.

Kentucky Wonder 125: Early variety. High-yielding. Pods grow 7-8” long. Tender beans compare to the pole variety. No staking needed. 45 days. 

Tenderette: High-yielding over extended season. Stringless, straight pods grow 5” long. Flavorful. Cans and freezes well. 58 days.

Festina: Dark green pods are packed with vitamins. Pods grow 6” long. Provides crisp, tender-sweet taste. Great for hot climates. 56 days.

Nash: Early variety. High-yielding. Straight pods grow 5 3/4” long and are plump and succulent. Great for warm climates. 54 days.

Advantage: High-yielding with slow seed development. Extended harvest. Long, slender pods grow 6 ½" long and are moist and tender. Full of flavor and great for eating fresh, cooking, canning and freezing. 58 days.

Maxibel: European gourmet bean. Slender, stringless pods grow 7-7 ½" long and are dark green in color. Can be used as a snap or filet bean. 59 days.

Gina: Early Romano bean. Large yields. Broad, flat pods grow 5-5 ½" long with large beans packed with flavor. Resists Common Bean Mosiac. 55 days. 

Slenderette: Heavy-yielding. Stringless, crisp pods grow 5" long with white beans. Tastes great fresh and freezes well. 53 days.

California Blackeye: High-yielding. Pods grow 7-8” long producing smooth beans. Resistant to most common bean and pea viruses. 75 days.

Harvester: Hardy variety. Pods grow up to 6” long on upright plants. Resists Common Bean Mosiac Virus, Bean Rust Virus and root rot. 53 days.

Strike: Easy to harvest. Pods grow 5 ½” long and are close together. 53 days.

Stringless Green Pod: Early variety. Stringless, curved pods grow 5-6” long. 50 days.

Tendergreen: High-yielding. Loves warm climates. Pods grow 6” long. 58 days. 

Topcrop: High-yielding. Stringless pods grow 6” long. Resists Bean Mosiac Virus and Bean Pod Mottle Virus. All American Selections Winner. 54 days. 

Purple Bush Beans

Dwarf Velour

Amethyst: Thin, straight pods grow 5-5 ½" long and are burgundy in color. Tasty raw or cooked. Turn green after cooking. 56 days.

Royal Burgundy: Pods grow to 5" and are dark burgundy in color. Turn green after cooking. 55 days.

Dwarf Velour French Bean: Heavy-yielding over extended season. Stringless, long, slender pods grow 5-6" long and are royal purple in color. Gourmet beans are succulent and packed with flavor. 55 days. 

Yellow Bush Beans

Rocdor Bush Bean

Imperial Golden Wax: High-yielding. Stringless, bright-yellow pods that grow 4-5" long with a buttery taste. Plants reach 16-18" high. Great for small or large gardens. 50 days.

    

Rocdor: Early variety. Straight, long pods grow to 6 ½" and are deep yellow when mature. 52 days.

Carson: High-yielding. Yellow pods grow 5 ½" long. Plants are vigorous. Good disease resistance. 52 days.

Soleil: High-yielding. Pods are straight and thin and grow to 4”. Plants are compact at 2’ high and 1’ wide when mature. Great flavor with no aftertaste. 60 days.

Capitano: High-yielding gourmet Romano bean. Flat pods grow 6" long and are golden-yellow in color. Beans grow uniformly with a velvety texture. 60 days.   

Goldcrop: Early variety. Stringless, straight pods grow 5-7” long and are wax colored. Adapts well. Easy to harvest beans grow near tops of plants. 55 days. 

Top Notch Golden Wax: Early variety. Straight, stringless pods are slightly flat and grow on 15-18” tall plants. 50-55 days.

Green Pole Beans

Blue Lake Pole Bean

Fortex: Extended harvest. Stringless, firm pods grow to 11" long. Can be used as a filet bean at 7". 60 days.

Northeaster: Early variety. Sweet, rich pods grow 8" long and 1" wide. Pods are flat, tender and stringless. 56 days.

Garden of Eden: Italian-style heirloom variety. Flat, broad pods grow 6" long and are medium-green in color. Sweet and tender. 65 days.

Kentucky Wonder: High-yields. Straight, smooth pods grow 8-9" long. Vigorous grower. Resists rust. 67 days.

Blue Lake: High-Yields. Straight, stringless pods grow 6" long. Tender and full-bodied. Cans well. 63 days.

Rattlesnake: Productive. Stringless, tender pods grow 7" long and are flat. Green pods are streaked with purple. 73 days. 

Gita: (yard long) Stringless, rich, sweet pods grow 16-20" long. Great for stir-fries and Asian cuisine. Produces smaller yields in cooler areas. 78 days.

Orient Wonder: (yard long) Crisp, tender pods grow 15-18" long. Widely adaptable. Great in stir-fries and Asian cuisine. 85 days.

Smeraldo: High-yielding flat bean. Long, straight pods grow 8-10" long on 4-6' tall x 2' wide plants. Packs lots of flavor. 55 days.

Mountaineer White Half Runner: (Also known as Old Dutch Half Runner) Great-yields. Slender, tender pods are rich in flavor. 57 days.

Algarve French Climbing: High-yielding, early harvest. Stringless, uniform, flat-like pods grow 10" long on 6-7' vines. This French gourmet climbing bean is resistant to Bean Mosiac Virus. 52 days. 

Kentucky Blue: High-yielding. Succulent, tender pods grow 9" long on 5-8' vines. Light-stringed pods taste like a cross between Kentucky Wonder and Blue Lake beans. 58 days. 

Kwintus: (formerly known as Early Riser) European variety. Flat, stringless and succulent pods grow 10" long on 5-8' vines. Italian flavor. 43 days. 

Yellow Pole Beans

Marvel of Venice: Heirloom/early variety. Flavorful pods grow 8-9" long and 3/4" wide. Vines grow vigorously. 54 days. 

Purple Pole Beans

Trionfo Violetto

Purple Pod: Stringless, tender pods grow 6-7" long. Deep purple when raw; turns green after cooking. 67 days.

Trionfo Violetto: Heavy-producing Italian heirloom. Succulent pods grow 6" long with a diameter of a drinking straw. Pods grow from summer till early fall in most climates. 75 days.

Fresh Shell Beans

62X Dwarf Horticultural Taylor Strain: Early variety. Pods grow to 5 ½-6” with broad, oval beans. Beans are white-ish in color with red specks. 68 days.

Tongue of Fire: Italian variety. Good fresh, frozen or dried. Easy to shell pods produce 8-10 beans each. 76 days.

Borlotto Solista: Vigorous-yielding Italian bean. Pods grow 9" long and produce meaty, cream-colored beans with maroon stripes and streaks. Kidney-shaped. Hard shelled. 85-95 days. 

Black Valentine: Heirloom variety. Bush bean. Pods grow 6” long and can be eaten fresh when young or shelled when mature. Produces all black beans. 70 days. 

Lima Beans

Fordhook Lima Bean

Fordhook 242: Prolific grower/bush bean. Heat and drought tolerant. Pods contain 3-5 beans each. 75 days.

Baby Thorogreen: Early maturing. Beans grow in clusters on dwarf plants. Beans are plump and great for canning and drying. Grows well in the north. 67 days.

Eastland: Bush/early variety. High yields over extended season. Semi-flat, uniform pods grow 3-4" long and produce succulent, flavorful beans. 68 days. 

Dixie Butterpea: Bush variety. Huge yields. Beans are succulent and rich growing nearly-round and white in color. Meaty taste. Resists Downy Mildew. 75 days. 

Henderson: Bush variety. Large pods produce 3-4 beans each. Cans and freezes well. 67 days. 

Soy Beans

Black Jet: High yields/prolific grower. Beans are jet black and packed with flavor. Plants grow 2’ high. Easy to grow. 104 days.

Envy: Low-yields. Early variety. Great for short seasons. Beans are bright-green and can be used fresh or dried or for edamame. Plants grow upright to 2’ tall. 75 days.

Tohya: Early variety. Green pods are plump and average 3 beans per pod. Beans have a  firm texture and buttery flavor. Comparable to “Butterbeans”. Plants are compact and grow to about 2’ tall. 78 days.

Butterbeans: High-yielding. Prolific grower. Pods produce 3 large beans on average. Beans are sweet and buttery to taste. Easy to shell. Plants grow 2-2 ½’ tall. A favorite among soybeans. 90 days. 

BeSweet 292: Bush variety. Edamame. Pods grow 2-3 beans each. High in protein. 85 days.

Fava Beans

Windsor: Old English variety. Pods grow 5-6” long and produce 3-5 large beans 1” in size. Grows well under cool, mild conditions. 75 days.

Broad Windsor: Pods grow 7” long and produce 5-6 large, flat beans each. Eat fresh pods when young or as shell beans when mature. Unique flavor. 120-150 days. 

Other Shell Beans

Calypso: Half black, half white beans. Double in sized when boiled. Great for soups and baking. Meaty beans have mild flavor. 90 days.

Dry Shell Beans

Yin Yang

Kenearly Yellow Eye: Easy harvest - best for baking. Compares to Maine Yellow ye. Great for baked beans, soups, stews and creamy broth. Beans are uniform and white with light-brown eyes. 90 days.

Vermont Cranberry: Northern New England Variety. Pods grow 6” on upright plants. Medium-sized beans are oval in shape, plump and red and pink striped. Mild taste is great for baking or in soups and stews. Can be shelled fresh or dried. 75 days fresh, 98 days dry. 

European Soldier: White kidney-bean. Beans are medium-sized and great for baking and stews. 95 days. 

Light Red Kidney: Early variety. Light-red kidney bean good for salads, chili and stew. 95 days.

Midnight Black Turtle Soup: Small black beans grow on tall, upright bushes. Beans grow to about the size of a pea. A favorite in Latin cooking. Great for refrying and in soups and stews. 104 days. 

How to Dry Herbs in 5 Steps

Image: KVDP @ Wikipedia 

Drying herbs straight from the garden is a tasty and cost effective way to preserve them. All you need are a few simple things that can be found around the house and a cool, dry, dark place to dry them. Here’s what you need:

Herb Drying Supplies

• Fresh Herbs
• Paper Bags (lunch bag size)
• Rubber Bands
• Newspaper
• Jars with Lids (small or large)
• Labels

Drying Herbs in 5 Steps

Step 1: Choosing Herbs

As you snip fresh herbs from the garden, choose ones that are mature and disease free. Pick them at the height of their flavor. Shake loose any bugs or debris before bringing them into the house.

Step 2: To Hang or Not to Hang

To Hang: If you have herbs with long stems such as lavender, it’s easier to hang them to dry. Wrap a rubber band about 2 - 3" up from the bottom of the stems to secure the bunch together. Slip a paper lunch bag over the top of the bunch so the 2 - 3" of stem are sticking out. Hang the bunch of herbs upside down in a cool, dark and dry place. The paper bag will catch any herbs that fall from the stem as they dry. The rest can be removed from the stem by hand.

Not to Hang: Some herbs, such as basil, can be dried by laying them flat on newspaper. Lay sheets of newspaper in a cool, dry and dark place. Place individual leaves or sprigs of herbs on the newspaper so they aren’t touching. Give them time to dry.

Step 3: Shred, Rip & Dice Dry Herbs

What do the herbs look like that are already in your kitchen cupboard? Are they shredded into small pieces that fit nicely into your measuring spoons and cups? Think about how you’re going to use them the most and shred, rip and dice your dried herbs accordingly. For herbs like bay leaves, keep them whole.

Step 4: Choosing Containers

You can buy spice containers or save the ones already in your cupboards as they empty. I use Mason jars, both small and large depending on how many dried herbs I have to store. Always label your containers with the name of the herb and the date.

Step 5: Storing Dried Herbs

You may want to proudly display your collection of dried herbs along your stove top or on a shelf in the kitchen, and hey, who could blame you, but too much exposure to light can diminish the flavor of your prized herb collection. The best place to store them is in the cupboard out of the light.

Additional Tips for Drying Herbs

• Check herbs weekly as they dry
• Remove dried herbs from the stem over a sheet of paper, bend the paper so it’s almost folded in half & dump into the container
• Cut small vents in paper bags to increase airflow & drying times
• Instead of newspaper, use drying racks to dry herbs without hanging

Planning Ahead for the Next Growing Season

As the herbs that you dried begin to dwindle, keep a list of which herbs you used the most and which ones you wish you had. Use this list as a guide for which herbs to grow next year. P.S. A jar full of dried herbs straight from your garden makes a great gift.

Related Articles

How to Freeze Herbs in 4 Easy Steps

Guide to Dehydrating Fruits and Vegetables from the Garden

Image: freedigitalphotos.net

Dehydrating, or drying fruits and vegetables, is a great method for preserving the garden’s bounty. After selecting the best produce and with a little preparation, you can have your favorite fruits and vegetables fully dehydrated in 8 to 10 hours.

Selecting the Best Fruits and Vegetables to Dehydrate

Fruits and vegetables that are dehydrated at their peak ripeness and those that are blemish-free last longer, look better, and produce overall better results.

Ripeness: Fruits and vegetables should be fully ripe, not over or under

Blemish-Free: No blemishes or bruises

Spoilage: No spoilage or brown spots

The Preparation Process

Prepare fruits and vegetables, especially fruits, as close to the time you’ll be putting them into the dehydrator as possible. This helps keep them from oxidizing.

Slice/Dice: Prepare fruits and vegetables by slicing and dicing them to a size you prefer. Remove the seeds, cores, husks, and any other inedible parts.

Uniformity: Slice and dice all fruits and vegetables as close to the same size and thickness as possible. This helps them to dry evenly and at the same pace.

Blanching: About.com suggests blanching the following fruits and vegetables for 3 - 5 minutes to help them keep their color and shorten the amount of time it takes them to dehydrate.

• Cauliflower
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Celery
• Corn
• Potatoes
• Peas

Spice: Go ahead and sprinkle on salt or other desired spices before beginning the dehydrating process. How much, if any, you add is up to you.

The Dehydration Process

Every make and model of dehydrator is slightly different which affects the amount of time it takes to dehydrate fruits and vegetables. Always consult your owner’s manual for drying times and how to properly operate your appliance. It’s best to dehydrate one type of produce at a time because different fruits and vegetables have different drying times.

Placement: Ensure fruits and vegetables aren’t overlapping after placing them in the dehydrator.

Inspection: As the dehydrating process comes to a close, keep a close eye on what’s in the dehydrator. Remove a slice, let it coo,l and touch it. Does it feel and look dry? Use the inspection process to gage whether or not your produce needs more drying time.

When the drying time comes to an end, cut into a few slices and check for moisture. If you see any moisture bubbles your produce isn’t completely dehydrated and needs more drying time.

Cool Down: Let your fully dehydrated fruits and vegetables cool for 30 to 60 minutes after pulling them from the dehydrator. Drying racks work great for this.

Storing Dehydrated Fruits and Vegetables

Conditioning: Place dehydrated produce in jars making sure they are loosely packed and screw the lid on. Store them in a dry place for 7 - 10 days making sure to shake them once a day. Mason jars will work fine for this. If any jars form condensation, your produce needs to head back to the dehydrator for some additional drying time.

Final Storage: Place dried goods in air tight jars, freezer bags, or other storage containers. Store them in a dry, dark place with good air ventilation.

Dehydrated fruits and vegetables are good for up to a year, letting you and your family enjoy the garden’s bounty over the long winter months and then some. Remember to label and date your packaged goods and make notes about dehydrating times and other tips you learned along the way to make drying your produce even better the next time around.

Reference: Huffstetler, Erin. "How To Dry Fruits and Vegetables with a Dehydrator." About.com Frugal Living. About.com, n.d. Web. 13 Aug. 2012. <http://frugalliving.about.com/od/foodsavings/ht/Dehydrate_Foods.htm>.