Plants from my Cousin

When I saw my Cousin Bo at her nephew's birthday party last month, she surprised me with seedlings that she started from seed to plant in my garden.  She gave me Chinese Yard Long Bean seedlings in a milk carton.  I love that my family re-uses food containers for pots just like I do!   These beans are slender and long, usually growing about a foot and 1/2 long.  Being of Chinese descent, I grew up eating these beans, they are delicious stir fried with black bean sauce.  YUM.  If you are wondering what these beans look like, there is a lovely photo of these bean plants on the header of  Erin's blog at Garden Now, Think Later.  Reading her blog, I know that she loves these beans as much as I do.  Unfortunately, shortly after planting these beans, we were hit with hot, hot weather following but rain and more rain.  Of all these seedlings, only 4 survived.  I asked my dad if he could go to the Chinese market to buy more seeds, and he gave me a whole new packet.  I direct sowed those into the ground, I hope they start sprouting soon.

Bo also gave me seedlings of pumpkin, I'm not quite sure what type of pumpkin these are, so it will be a bit of a fun surprise for me as they develop fruit. 

I planted the pumpkins into one of the raised beds.  The pumpkin plants are doing well, each of the seedlings are putting out true leaves.

A close up of the pumpkin plant.  I hope these are tasty pumpkins, I would love to can some pumpkin puree to use for future pumkin pies!