27 May 2015, the beans are coming up!
Waiting for the beans to show their first signs of life was a long wait. I haven't mastered Wu-Wei, the Art of doing nothing, yet and after the 14th of May it was very cold for a few days. We had even some evening frost. So I was very happy when I got a message from Freek on 26 May (13 days after sowing) that my Runner beans were coming up!
When I took a look on the 27th, it was not only my Runner beans, but all the different types of beans showed their first bits of green and some of the herbs had their first tiny leaves.
Runner beans/Pronkbonen "Roomsche Boonkes"
Runner beans/Pronkbonen "Roomsche Boonkes"
Pinto bean / Drentse Kievitsboon
Savory / Bonenkruid
To prepare for this project I read a lot about beans as I mentioned in my previous post "Hill of beans, sowing the seeds". I borrowed this great book, the Organic Gardener's Handbook / Handboek ecologisch tuinieren by VELT from my friend Pieter and read it almost from cover to cover. I first only wanted to read about beans specifically, but wauw, that book has so much interesting information in it. All the types of biological gardening are described with their history and who invented what. For every vegetable is a chapter on how to sow them, harvest them and protect them and from what you need to protect them. Different herbs can be used to keep away different pests and attract insects that will do that job for you.
Between and around my beans I planted Dille, Marigolds, Sage, Thyme and Savory. Herbs that help me to keep Black bean aphids and Bean flies at bay. Marigolds scare of nematodes in the ground and attract Ladybugs (I don't know if this is official, but it really works, they love these plants). The Savory is not only good for the taste, but also for the digestion of beans. So a lot of win-wins and they make it look pretty too!
5 June 2015
12 June 2015
On 14 June was the presentation of my project in progress during the Haagse Beemden Kunstroute. An Art-route through the neighborhood Haagse Beemden where people can visit studios, house galleries and exhibitions. It was the first edition for De Kapeltuin and I felt honored representing them. Next to my plot of beans, I made a small photo-exhibtion through the garden. Photos from the past and more present history were placed in a way you could see the now and the past. I also asked Freek, the 'gardenmanager', to exhibit his found ground-treasures. He showed me his small collection of special finds before. Unfortunately he threw already a lot away, but kept the special ones: A plastic big, shards of pottery & tiles, bones, unidentified metal & glass objects and a very scary toy Rabbit. He placed them on two pedestals in the garden. Visitors got a sense of the history of De Kapeltuin while enjoying the present, seeing my work in progress and getting an idea about what the Harvest Feast / Oogstfeest on 27 September will bring!
14 June 2015
See you Sunday 27 September at the Harvest Feast / Oogstfeest!
