I'm 16 and I'm new here

uhh pictures

Can you grow sweet potatoes year round there? We're just getting ready to put shoots in the ground now...the Māori name for them is kūmara and the shoots we plant out are called tupu or tipu depending on where in the country you are.

Hi Luna, and welcome to permies. I’m not the most active poster, but I know that I can say that you are welcome here and your voice matters.

Late fall/early winter can be a tough time in the garden, at least where I am in Pennsylvania. It is also a time for hope and planning, something I think many people are struggling with. It looks like you have a small bed and room for a few pots. I would encourage you think about more than just getting something to grow, like dill (which is lovely, keep growing that). Do certain colors make you happy? Grow a selection of plants that bloom st different times to give you that color over a longer period.

What about texture? One of my daughters (9) and spouse (considerably older) both have type 1 autism (I am borderline), and they both are extremely sensitive to touch and texture. I grow a variety of plants with soft, feathery textures that are a pleasure to touch, and they smell sweet and delightful. There are big, mature plantings of bronze fennel along the path leading to the front door, where one can brush a hand along as you walk by. They are perennial, and also look good when they go dormant, as they hold their form (google New Perennial Movement to see how herbaceous plantings have be used ornamentally during their dormant phase).

As long as it doesn’t get too wet, you can also grow Mediterranean herbs like rosemary; I have zone jealousy of people who can grow creeping rosemary. Creeping thyme comes in a wide variety of cultivars, and the insects love it. It’s more forgiving of heavy soil than rosemary.

Could you grow vines? A climbing structure in the middle of your bed would allow you to grow beans; scarlet runner beans are arguably perennial south of zone 7, and they flower prolifically. We use them as a screen to shade our west-facing porch. They are very popular with hummingbirds. They tend not to set fruit when days are over 80 degrees, but they keep flowering. I would speculate that you would get a spring/fall/maybe even winter harvest. It’s worth an experiment.

Tomatoes may be the classic garden crop, but they are fickle, and it can be hard to find the right one for your particular situation. If you find yourself easily discouraged but want to grow tomatoes , don’t try growing a slicer or saucer tomato first; grow a cherry or grape variety. Here, an heirloom called Matt’s Wild Cherry is bulletproof, prolific, and delicious. They keep coming back via volunteers, too.

Create a log or gardening journal , maybe on your phone, maybe using a notebook. And just one more thing; I’ve heard it said by more than one person in the know that childhood is hard, but autistic people are some of the best adults. I hope permies can be part of your tribe.


-D

1 - I don't have a phone

2 -  I have a question about these beans because they dont look like bean plants to me but I just planted them and I only planted beans

That's a bean! The first leaves that come out of most seeds are called cotyledons (I think I spelled that correctly), and they rarely have the same form as the standard leaf of the plant. They are actually all wrapped up in the seed casing, so the plant doesn't have to expend any energy until it receives some sunlight! It's very cool. Take one of the beans you didn't plant and soak it for a few hours. Then tease it apart and see if you can unroll the cotyledons and beginnings of the taproot. Beans are an excellent choice for this kind of exploratory experiment because they are so large and their structures are robust.

It looks like it's stretching for the light. You might try to get it into brighter light, ideally outside.

-D

what do i do now

Luna Silva wrote:what do i do now

You're doing a good job with growing your bean plant. You have a wonderful opportunity in front of you to record everything you are learning about in a plant journal. My son is 13. He just got a book on how to draw plants from the library. This is just an option for you. It would give you something to do while your bean plant is growing. Plants take a bit to start producing food, but it won't be too long... just keep tending to its needs.
Does anything else on the site interest you? There are a lot of forums here. Building, alternative energy, lot of growing advice, etc...
It is pretty cool that you chose Permies to hang out in.

uhh i cant really build anything

Sure you can! “Building” doesn’t necessary mean anything large or even involving tools.

Your beans will need something to climb. Consider getting a couple of bamboo poles that you can stick in the soil, and weave some twine between them to create a trellis. It’s a pleasant way to spend a some time. Then watch how they climb.
I’m assuming these are climbing beans, rather than bush beans.

A google image search for “twine trellis for pole beans” will turn up plenty of inspiration.

-D

Luna Silva wrote:also, another thing is that I have had this account for a few months but all I have been doing is liking posts and reading random stuff and uhm Idk what else I really know
I always have too many tabs of this website open

touché! (Open tabs)

I lurked for years without even giving the thumbs up, so you're way ahead! Liking is a great contribution. Not only is it worthwhile feedback but also tells the poster that their post is being read.

There is a bookmark feature in permies so you can find those interesting posts without keeping tabs open if you like

Or me, I email the links to myself and stuff them in a folder and let my email find the page I want (copy the subject as the email subject)

I do this with lots of stuff


It's always encouraging to see young members !
A big welcome from me
I love your bean project!