road trip next spring

The Charleston Food Forest is located at 825 18th Street, Charleston, Illinois. Google maps tells me that it's about 370 miles from Lansing, so I'll plan a 3-4 day trip, maybe do one of their events or volunteer for a day.

All of what I know on this subject is book-learning or YouTube. I need to get out there and see it.

interplanting sunflowers and bean vines

I've been reading a ton of gardening articles today, and thought that this one was interesting.

From Steve Mann at SauveYards.com

"You can grow beans up sunflowers, it is a misconception that sunflowers are toxic to beans. The sunflower stems act as a natural trellis for the beans, providing support to them whilst they grow. Plant your beans around a fortnight after you sow your sunflowers and the two should grow well together."

He gives two methods, first, plant your sunflowers and, about three weeks later, plant your bean about a foot from the sunflower. If needed, you can bring trendles from the bean to help in climb up the sunflower.

Method two is the one I want to try:

"Now this isn’t my method, so I must give kudos to John Yeoman from the Kitchen Garden forum for this, but it seems logical and I am sure it would work just as well.

He suggests putting an empty cola in the soil beside your sunflower when you plant it.

Then when your sunflower reaches three feet tall or so simply pull out the can and replace it with a bean transplant. This avoids disturbing the sunflower roots.

As an alternative to this, he also suggests placing two cans in the soil next to the sunflower and adjacent to the bean.

One of the cans should be perforated at the sides and base and kept filled with water. This ensures both plant’s roots get the water they need.

This second method also seems like a good option to me and one I might just give a try next year."

Me too!