Hi All, Lane County Extension Service Master Gardener John Fischer here with KLCC's Good Gardening.
I've been growing plants for 65 years, and for the last 60, I have had to bend down to pick a lot of my produce. Fortunately vining crops start at the ground and end up at a height where somebody over six feet tall can pick them without bending over.
The convenience provided by pole beans, blackberries, raspberries, and hops is only half of what those crops have to offer the observant gardener. They also give us a look at the focused, unpredictable, even sensual behavior of some of our favorite crops.
The tendrils that beans, grapes, and even some less desirable plants - like bindweed - send up as they strive to reach new heights really seem to validate the idea that plants are creatures with purpose, and consciousness.
For example my hops need something to climb up. They can grow 20 feet or more in one year and are expert climbers - but only on their own terms. My attempts to guide them up an obvious path are almost always met by the plants choosing a different route. It's as if the vines know more about where and how to grow than I do.
The speed that a blue lake pole bean can grow at is almost visible; 10 or 12 inches a day is not an exaggeration. Make sure they have somewhere to climb, then stand back, or stare closely to watch them move more quickly than you might expect a plant can.
Pole beans can grow far higher than you can reach, so don't be too generous with the support you provide.
While we all appreciate the food that our vining crops provide - a six foot row of beans can overwhelm a family - and the neighbors, don't forget to appreciate the independent striving nature they - and maybe you have.
