Pole Beans, A Fun, Healthy, and Chemical-Free Treat

It's the second day of November, and I just picked a whole bowlful of homegrown, chemical-free pole beans! And there's still more to come unless we have a hard frost. Pole Beans are my very favorite vegetable to grow in my backyard garden. From the moment I push them into the dirt, I'm assured of a bountiful harvest that continues throughout the summer and well into autumn. It doesn't matter where I plant them; they flourish in the ground or in a large flower pot. As long as they are in the sun and, of course, planted after danger of frost, pole beans have never disappointed me! They are delicious, nutritious, and their big, bold leaves look beautiful whether climbing up a fence in a yard or up a trellis on a balcony -- definitely a great plant for apartment or condo dwelling gardeners!

For years I planted the Red Runner, which has attractive red flowers as an added bonus. When I couldn't find this variety, I chose Kentucky Wonder. Both of these grew well and tasted good, right off the vine. It's amazing how big the beans grow, but I learned not to wait too long -- the bigger they grew, the coarser and stringier they got and the less enjoyable they were to eat (that's where the string in String Beans comes from).

This year I tried a new variety of pole bean -- Italian Pole Beans, which I ordered online from "Seeds of Change" (www.seedsofchange.com), a company dedicated to sustainable, organic agriculture. Italian Pole Beans contain all the other attributes that I love in pole beans -- plus when left to grow to maximum size, they are even more tender and incredibly delicious. And they are stringless! Pole Beans -- a truly healthy and magical food!