Cherokee Wax Beans

One of the easiest and earliest vegetables to plant is beans.  For my Bean Garden, I have chosen the Cherokee Wax Bean that germinates in 7 to 10 days and reaches maturity in 50 days.  I space the seeds about 2 inches apart and one packet of Ferry-Morse seeds fills a 10 foot row.  Soaking the beans overnight before planting will speed germination.

I added compost from my pile and turned he soil, smoothed it out with a hoe, and raked the area to remove sticks, clumps, and the ever present dollar weed.  With my rake handle, I made a small trench about an inch deep, planted the seeds, and covered them.  The soil was moist from an early morning shower and the weatherman predicted more showers.

The yellow Cherokee wax beans, about 5 to 6 inches long when mature, are supposed to be "stringless" and very productive.  Since I planted the beans rather early in the season, I learned that the beans can "withstand adverse weather condition."  They are also disease resistant. 

The beans are great for freezing (and canning).  I blanch them quickly, chill them under cool running tap water and let them drain.  I pack them in quart size bags and store them in the freezer for use later.

Ferry-Morse claims that the Cherokee Wax Beans "tastes great right out of the garden."  Does that mean that the beans are edible raw in the garden, that I can pick 'em and nibble on 'em? 

Cultivating the beans is minimal.  I have found that in my already established garden, weeding around the beans is hardly necessary.  The beans plants will crowd out the weeds. 

To fertilize, I side dress with a common garden fertilizer such as 6-6-6 or 8-8-8 when the beans have established themselves.  I put fertilizer down on each side avoiding getting it on the leaves that will cause "burns".

The yellow Cherokee Wax Beans are the first of the beans sowed in my Bean Garden and I am looking forward to the harvest.  It's been a long time since I planted wax beans

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