Garden Reflections - Legumes

I had a great season for legumes. In fact, It was the best bean season I've had in over 15 years! My peas did beautifully as well

Beans

Under the bean trellis 

I grow green beans, soup beans and edamame every year. I also tried garbanzo beans this year. My edamame was overshadowed by a vigorous nasturtium vine and so didn't produce. My garbanzo beans grew beautifully and put out tons of flowers and pods but, an evil rodent ate nearly every one of the beans one night in mid August

My pole beans grew like gangbusters, climbing up the 7 foot arch and over the top to create a green roof. They were loaded with beans. 22 pounds 13 ounces of which I harvested as snap beans

Others were left to mature on the vines to be harvested as dry beans

I grew three varieties of bush beans for dry use as well. All of the dry beans totaled 16 pounds 13 ounces
Next year I plan to give my edamame a better chance of producing by not planting any nasturtiums in the same bed. I may try garbanzos again but I'll have to figure out how to protect them from foraging rodents

Peas

Magnolia Blossom Tendril Pea blooms 

For me, peas are the epitome of Springtime. There is nothing quite like biting into a fresh, juicy pea pod straight from the vine, or the succulent, fresh flavor of pea shoots in a Spring salad

I plant two crops of peas every year, one in March and the second in July. Spring peas are more tender and better flavored than Fall ones, but it's still nice to have fresh peas up until the first hard freeze

I harvested nearly 10 pounds of peas this year

Altogether I harvested over 49 pounds of legumes