Jonathon Hornock

Lots of great photos here! I mulch my 3 blueberry bushes with the old Christmas tree. When the wifey wants it ‘gone’ I chop off the branches and mound them around the base. By the next year it’s still about 2-3 inches high with mostly branches covered in mycelium and I just mound up again. The bushes are under some long leaf pines and they drop a bunch of nice long needles that are left where they fall. Some find their way down into the pile, some stay on top.
I’ve never tried anything else as this is what I have on hand. Seems to be working so far.

Joseph, have you ever tried a runner with any other types of beans. I think I heard there are like 70 species of phaseolus. What about tepary or Lima? Do you think common beans would cross with those as well? There seems to be a distinguishing (maybe genetic) component that results in either a green/shelly/dry bean or some combination of those.
I do find the perennial nature of the runner to be quite appealing. Pretty cool you could recognize which plants crossed into which others! It’s Always amazing to see what you have discovered!

I do not ‘protect’ any of my plants, though I’m strongly leaning toward some sort of fence. This year I lost a bunch of squash vines and okra to the deer. The beans that are left are hidden among and wrapping around the tomatoes and those are generally left alone. They are probably out scouting more because it’s been so dry the past few months.

My first post on permies..mostly because I try to read threads until I’m caught up and find myself traveling down the rabbit hole before too long. This is an interesting idea. I started growing runner beans for the first time this spring. I’m not really sure how to use them but I sure like the idea of crossing with another bean, and maybe even another, and another..
The local deer are pretty interested in any bean I have planted. Just when they start to stretch and fill out, Chomp! and I’m left with some stalks ripped from the ground, or more kindly just chewed down to the ground. This could take a while..