Saturday, July 23, 2011

My first Zuke and Chinese Yard Long Beans!

Erin, over at Garden Now-Think Later, grew Chinese Yard Long Beans last year and she raved about them. She loved how easy these were to grow, and how easy they were to find to harvest them.  I grew pole beans last year, and indeed, it is hard to find those suckers behind all those leaves.  These Yard Long beans however are so long, it's easy to see them to harvest.  I grew up eating these beans, so I was so excited to try to grow them this year.  My dad gave me seeds, and my cousin gave me seedlings.  This plant will definitely be a keeper in my garden.  I'm so in love with them!
I had also planted 5 zucchini plants, and many of you told me I would be overflowing with lots of zucchini. For some reason, none of the plants are producing any female flowers, and those that do, seem to not produce a fruit that is pollinated so they turn yellow and die off. At long last, I harvested my first zucchini. I'm pretty disappointed because I was hoping to have lots of fruit by now.  I had hopes of freezing some for future zucchini breads.  Next year, I think I will forgo growing broccoli and devote that bed to zucchini instead.  This is my second year growing broccoli and I hate it.  It's just not worth my time since they get ravished by bugs.  I want to be overwhelmed with zucchini, to the point where I have more than I can handle.  It's not meant to be I guess.  I'll be lucky if the plants grow another zucchini for me to harvest.  Let's hope it does.
With the harvested zucchini, I decided to make my version of pasta primavera.  All of the vegetables are from the garden except for the sun dried tomatoes.  I added homegrown snap peas, radish greens, the zuke, and garlic.  Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and parmasean cheese.  Serve warm, yum, it is quite delicious and fresh tasting. 
For more dishes featuring the Garden to Table, check out Greenish Thumb!

12 comments:

  1. I'm so glad you like them! I tried the Chinese Red Noodle this year, and I have to say I like the texture of the green better and they keep in the fridge better so I'll be going back to those again next year!

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  2. Your pasta looks delicious. I'm going to try it with a few of my veggies from the garden. As for the zucchini, I have it coming out of my ears, and that's just from 1 plant. Making zucchini bread this week-end, love it. I've never heard of the Chinese Yardlong Bean, I may have to try 1 next season.

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  3. Your pasta looks yummy. When you get overwhelmed with zucchini try some zucchini refrigerator pickles (or canned). They're definitely very edible! Do you shell those long beans or just cut them up as is? I've never seen or grown them before.

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  4. I think it might be too hot and dry for the female squash blossoms. Last year I got 7 pumpkins with little input, but this year I am having to water the squash bed almost daily, and only one of my squashes has managed to hang on to its female flowers.
    Squash plants love warm weather, but like to have their roots cool, much like pepper plants. You might have better luck if you set down a mulch around the zucchini plants.

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  5. That looks delicious! Love those long green beans. Hope you get some more zukes soon!

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  6. Chinese yard long beans have been on my list of beans to grow for ages. I don't know why I keep forgetting to grow them every year. The dish looks good!

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  7. I am completely intrigued now! I just might have to try those beans in next years garden! Congrats on your harvest and your fantastically yummy pasta!

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  8. I might try growing them next year.

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  9. Oh, gosh this looks so delicious with all your homegrown vegies!!! I am hungry now...

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  10. Wow - your pasta looks fantastic! I'm sure it tastes even better knowing so much of it came from your own garden. I've never had long beans - I'm intrigued! I'm in the same "zucchini boat" with you except for me it's cucumbers. I planted to many things in one huge pot and now a few things are suffering. I think I'm just going to pull my cuke plants up so that the tomato doesn't have competition. I'm with you though - I wanted to be inundated! Next year!

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  11. Congrats on the long beans! They're really beautiful. Sorry to hear about the zucchini. Maybe if you tried hand pollinating?

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  12. my zukes are not going so well either. Long beans look great!!

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