Decided to heed doctor’s advice: no digging in the garden, no heavy lifting and to avoid bending (this is easier said than done).
Except for harvesting the beans on the trellis and watering (those are stand up chores), for the past 2+ weeks I pretty much stayed out of the garden. My hip is feeling a whole lot better, not back to normal, but getting there.
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The green Chinese Long beans are not quite ready yet, but will be in a day or 2.
Chinese Long Beans aka Asparagus Beans & Yardlong Beans
Look at all those beans hanging on the vine, going to be a great harvest.
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Did harvest Red Noodle Beans. Cut them into about 2-inch lengths, blanched, cooled, placed in freezer bag and froze for winter use.
Red Noodle Beans
The 2 beans in the middle of the photo have past their prime, I was going to leave them on the vine for seeds but decided to harvest them so you can see the differences.
Click here to learn more about Chinese Long Beans and recipes.
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Fortunately I have my containers so was not suffering from gardening withdrawal. I elevate the containers so I can sit and tend to them.
The following Tri-Color Amaranth and Win-Win Choy are from seedlings started early-July.
Tri-Colored Amaranth & Win-Win Choy
The Win-Win Choy seedlings were transplanted into window box. I harvest just the outer leaves. The plant will continue to grow and in a few days I will be harvesting more outer leaves. Win-Win Choy is pretty hardy and with a bit of protection on frosty nights should be producing well into December, I hope.
I cut the Win-Win Choy into bite-sized lengths. Add choy and cubed tofu to boiling broth, cooked till reached desired doneness, flavored with sliced scallion, sesame oil and soy sauce. From garden, in this case window box, to wok as soon as harvested, cannot get any fresher.
The Tri-Colored Amaranth seedlings were transplanted into a foam ice chest. This is the first time I am growing amaranth in a container and am happy with the results. Definitely repeating.
I also transplanted a few seedlings into a window box for comparison and they too are growing well.
In the above photo you can see where I cut the main amaranth stem and the side shoots that are growing.
Tri-colored Amaranth is a vigorous grower, the side shoots will be ready for harvest in a few days. I am hoping to be harvesting side shoots until first frost.
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Homegrown lettuces are on the menu again. The following lettuce leaves are from seedlings started early-July.
Lettuces: Forellenschluss & Midnight Ruffle
The lettuces seedlings were transplanted into window boxes and like the Win-Win choy I harvest just the outer leaves. The leaves were so fresh and tender, a simple dressing was all that was needed for the salad.
I will continue to harvest just the outer leaves as needed and the plants will, hopefully, continue to grow until late fall early winter.
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Copyright © by Norma Chang. All Rights Reserved. Do not use/repost any photos and/or articles without permission.
Do visit Dave at Our Happy Acres for more Harvest Monday
Awesome harvest! I really must grow some long beans…miss them.
Hello Angie,
Thanks, long beans are extremely easy to grow, just give them a sunny spot.
So pleased to hear you are on the mend Norma.
Always so lovely seeing what you have harvested and done in your garden.
Have a super day.
🙂 Mandy xo
Hello Mandy,
Thanks, would have mended sooner if I had not overdo things on days when I was feeling a bit better. A super day to you too.
Glad you are doing better Norma. Your noodle beans look good. Given this hot summer, that’s probably what I should have planted.
Hello Daave,
Wouldn’t it be great if we had the ability to predict what the growing season will be!
Oh, that lettuce looks amazing, as do your other harvests. I was late in getting a succession going so it will be a few weeks before we have any more to harvest.
And I’m thinking that you may still be able to dry and save the seeds from those over-mature pods. I usually harvest beans before they are dried on the plants (but once they are fully mature) and they do just fine, both for eating and saving seed.
I’m glad that you are still able to enjoy your garden – your container grown plants are such lifesavers in that regard. I hope that you are back to 100% very soon.
Hello Margaret,
I supposed I could save the seeds but I have an abundant of beans this year due to the hot weather so decided to just toss them.
Oh Norma, I am so sorry to learn about your back – know how you must be feeling!!!! 🙂 Anyhow, vegetables as always look so inviting. Dont do too much right now – just get better soon. Big hug, Carina
Hello Carina,
I am feeling a whole lot better today, thanks, I really needed that big hug.
Beautiful greens Norma, especially that amaranth which is just stunning. I used your technique for cooking yardlong beans as a side dish and they turned out great. My Red Noodle beans are coming on strong right now, and it looks like yours are too. I’m sorry to hear you are having back problems. I hope you can get back to full speed soon. I know how frustrating that can be.
Hello Dave,
I seem to remember you mentioning not able to grow amaranth perhaps you could give containers a try, I find they do better in my containers than in my garden. Glad you found my cooking yardlong beans technique useful.
Glad you are feeling better–nothing worse than being unable to garden right at the peak time! The amaranth looks like coleus–fooled me at first. Do the long beans have different/better flavor than others, or do you just like growing them?
Hello Will,
Thanks, I hope to be fully healed by the end of this month, fingers crossed. I grow long beans because they are not readily available in the food market, one can find green long beans in the Asian markets but not Red Noodles Beans.
I hope you get back to full gardening abilities soon! It’s great that you have containers to keep your garden going. Your beans look lovely and productive. I will have to try your Chinese long bean stir fry recipe- it looks delicious!
Hello B & B,
I hope so too. My containers are doing super well the only problem is they need to be watered twice a day because of our hot dry weather. Do let me know how you like my long bean recipe.
Oh no! I’m sorry to hear you’ve been having a rough go of it but glad to hear there’s improvement!!!
Your long beans (and noodle beans) always blow me away! No one grows anything like that here and I bet they’d be a hit!
Rest up and continue to heal! ❤
Hello Melissa,
I am sure long beans will grow in your area, you could start a trend. It is difficult to rest when there are so many chores that require attention, I am trying though.
I may have to give long beans a try! They’d be fun to watch grow, for sure!
Keep resting up and being kind to yourself! ❤
Hello Melissa,
I hope you do. Thanks for the kinds words.
So sorry to hear about your hip, Norma, and I hope it continues to improve. The amaranth is so pretty…love the variegated leaves.
Hello Betsy,
Thanks, my hip is getting better by the day. Amaranth grows well in container so perhaps you could give growing it a try.
I love the color of the red noodle beans, never seen or heard of those before. Always love learning new vegetables on your post. My Chinese long beans are coming to a halt, thanks toTN unpredictable weather & its lack of rain this year. Hope your hip gets to feeling better soon.
Hello Somy,
I find the red noodles beans meatier than the green Chinese Long Beans not to mention how pretty they are hanging on the trellis in the garden. They are just as easy to grow as the green ones hope you give them a try.
I wish I lived close to you, I’d love to help you out with you heavy lifting and bending, my dear friend! I know I could learn so much from you. I used plant one of my containers of lettuces but they always bolted, so I stopped. Plus, I never had enough to eat! And then the raccoons! You haven’t blogged much about your wild life lately, has the heat affected their eating patterns? The long beans look wonderful, I see them at loblaws, I will get them next time and try one of your recipes.
Hello Eva,
You are always so kind. If you lived closed by you could stop by my garden any time and harvest what is available. It could be the variety of lettuce you are planting, try one of the slow bolting varieties. My wild life are around, trapped a raccoon and 2 possums, released all 3 back into the woods, still haven’t caught the woodchuck. The deer are major problem at the moment, feasting on my annuals and shrubs. If you do try the long beans let me know how you like them.
So sorry to read of your back problems, Norma. I, too, was given the same directives following back surgery a number of years ago.You’re right. It’s not easy going through the day without bending or lifting.
Your garden’s yield continues to impress. Such a variety! I haven’t even one tenth of the vegetables that you do. I will say, however, that my peppers and eggplants are doing very well. The tomatoes are a disappointment and a marauding rabbit dines on my zucchini blossoms nightly. Last year’s squirrel has been replaced by this year’s rabbit. Each year presents new challenges when you garden. 🙂
Hello John,
Darn rabbit, how are you going to make stuff zucchini blossoms? Hope you are able to get some from the farmers market. Something was eating my fingerling potatoes sure would love to catch it.