When do I pick these guys? The beans are flexible, almost rubbery feeling, not firm like green beans. Is this right? And there are a half dozen beans about a foot long. Do they *really* get one yard long?
Also, there's ants on this plant. They are walking all over the stems and feasting on the flower buds. What's the consensus here on ants in the garden? I've searched this forum for ant discussions and there seems a mixed review - 1. leave them alone, they are good for the garden or - 2. I hate ants!
There's a borox recipe but I've decided to let nature rule since the yard longs were just an experiment anyway. I'm not a big bean eater, other than dried type beans - the kind in chile etc. but am interested in how others here feel about ants in the garden. Not sure what kind they are.....tiny.
TIA for any input.
Yard Long Beans - When to Harvest?
Usually when you see ants there are aphids- check the new growth closely. There may be green aphids-they are hard to see! I just found red ones on one of my tomato plants- I blasted them with a hard jet of water from the hose several times, and pretty much got rid of them.
You are so right Jo, underside of the leaves is covered in the little buggers. Also, now seeing beans forming in the 'pods' so I now see it's not a string bean kinda bean but a legume kinda bean. Didn't know that!
I grow yard long beans and the ants can act as pollinators even tho they aren't as pretty as some others. They may be legume types????? But we use them like string beans in stir fries or just eat them raw. They are really tender if picked young. It seems like in this heat they only get about a foot long before they start to dry but when it's cooler they get much longer and still stay tender.
I'll try to post pictures tomorrow, now that you mention it they are the only thing in the garden that the ants are active on really tiny ants. Most other types of string beans get engulfed with spider mites but haven't had that problem with these beans.
What type are you growing?
Yard Long Red Noodle Beans.....just the name sounds cool!
Thanks Lisa.
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I don't think ants work as pollinators- when aphids are present the ants "tend" them in return for the aphids sticky deposits. IMHO ants are more of a nuisance on vegetable plants.
Ants are definitely pollinators you can goggle it to see, they would not be my choice of pollinators tho. Lol you can start a thread to see if they are pollinators, I will be happy to be proven wrong and learn something new. Bur I read and heard that many times.
I think I will just pull that poor plant out. Try again next season for the yard longs. Thanks folks.
OK, I stand corrected- I don't need to start a thread to have dozens of people show their expertise. (I did say "I don't think") - I didn't say it was a fact. My apologies.
I didn't mean to be snippy I don't really care for them as pollinators either there are prettier ones. I just didn't want to highjack this thread. That's why I suggested starting another thread. I can't learn anything if people don't share their knowledge.
Mary why are you going to pull them, they are the only thing in my garden still producing. Just wish the deer would leave them alone.
Lisa, There is a volunteer tiny pepper plant that popped up nearby. And three tomato seedlings I just put in that raised bed.
Would rather yank the aphids before they expand their territory...but I could be missing something. I'm a neophyte here!!!
I have no idea how to garden in Az. so Ill just post a picture.
Wow. That's incredible. Mine are "Red Twisted Noodle Bean" (I think)...anyway, they are red.