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Purple Dove Bush Bean Harvested in an AeroGarden Bounty

Grow log by ERR0R1755 · Original thread

12 visual updates14 photos31 replies
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CropBean
VarietyPurple Dove Bush Bean
MethodAeroGarden hydroponics
EquipmentAeroGarden Bounty
Plants1
AudienceExperimental

What you can learnWell-documented bean trial with germination, transplant shock, flowering, pod development, support problems, and a timed final harvest.

Actions:1 Planting1 Transplant1 Nutrients1 Pruning1 Harvest1 Finished
Useful practices
  • starting seed in perlite
  • moving the seedling into a split sponge
  • removing tendrils
  • harvesting at fresh-bean maturity
  • comparing AeroGarden and Kratky plants
Problems encountered
  • transplant shock
  • tendril growth despite bush habit
  • heavy pods pulled branches down
  • low yield and small beans
  • lack of trellis support

*The days were calculated automatically and approximately.

Day 59
UPDATE#12
Grower update

Update #12

Actions taken

HarvestEnded the grow and harvested the mature bean pods.
FinishedEnded the Purple Dove bean grow after the final harvest.

E By ERR0R1755

Ended this today! I looked into it further and the beans were ready for harvest, unless I wanted to have them fully mature and use them as a dry bean.Here's my self-survey:Plant Grown: Purple Dove Bush BeanGrow Method: AeroGarden BountyTime to Germinate: 5 daysTime to First Harvest: 50 days (since germination)Time to Last Harvest: 62 days (since germination)Plant Spacing: 1 per Bounty (11% usage)Final Height: 15 inchesWould I grow these again? I don't think so. Despite being a bush bean, they would have done better with a trellis. I might try some outdoors.Lessons Learned: I don't like growing different plants in the same AeroGarden, even as similar as soybeans and beans are.
Day 57
UPDATE#11
Grower update

Update #11

E By ERR0R1755

I took the woefully inaccurate PH meter I got at some point and found a use for it.
Conversation
S
Shawn

LOL

Day 57
UPDATE#10
Grower update

Update #10

E By ERR0R1755

The beans were too heavy. I think it's still alive?
Conversation
S
Sher

The leaves look good. It might just need staking.

Day 52
UPDATE#9
Grower update

Update #9

E By ERR0R1755

Conversation
E
ERR0R1755

Cleaned this up to let the plant focus more on the beans. I also removed as many of the immature beans as I could, since I'd prefer to finish this grow sooner rather than later.

Day 45
UPDATE#8
Grower update

Update #8

E By ERR0R1755

Conversation
E
ERR0R1755

Added 6ml of nutes. I also removed a branch that was only being held up by my Zinna's bottle - which made it very inconvenient to add water since I would have to move the bottle and hold the branch up the entire time.There were six immature pods on the end of the branch, but they're edible.

Day 38
UPDATE#7
Grower update

Update #7

E By ERR0R1755

I am not very impressed with this. Some of the pods are starting to turn black (which is a sign that they are finished / dried out), but if there are any beans in them, then they must be tiny.
Conversation
S
Shawn

Might they be turning black before purple like some peppers do?

E
ERR0R1755

I've been looking at them closer, and they might be turning purple. I think it's just because the "black" one is outside of the AeroGarden's light and in the shade, so it looked black to me.

E
ERR0R1755

Added 12ml of nutes. The "black" (purple) pods that I saw are starting to grow in size and become full beans.

S
Shawn

Good thing you did not end this one.

Day 31
UPDATE#6
Grower update

Update #6

E By ERR0R1755

These are starting to flower!
Conversation
S
Shawn

Pretty color purple

E
ERR0R1755

Added 8ml of nutes and moved the Kratky plant on the right to my grow tent. It got to the point where I had to refill the bottle daily, so I took it out of the bottle (losing most of the roots) and placed it in a larger, half-gallon container.

E
ERR0R1755

Added 6ml of nutes. The Kratky plant did not survive the transplant...

Day 24
UPDATE#5
Grower update

Update #5

Actions taken

PruningRemoved regrown tendrils for a second time.

E By ERR0R1755

The tendrils came back, I chopped them off a second time.
Conversation
E
ERR0R1755

I removed a couple lower leaves that were starting to droop, and added 6ml of nutes.

E
ERR0R1755

Added 6ml of nutes.

Day 17
UPDATE#4
Grower update

Update #4

E By ERR0R1755

This is starting to recover - there are two in this photo, the one on the left is the one in my Bounty, and the one on the right is the Kratky one in a bottle.
Conversation
S
Sher

They all look good!

E
ERR0R1755

Added 6ml of nutes.

E
ERR0R1755

I cut off the top tendrils today - apparently some bush beans do send out one tendril, but it doesn't really do anything. At best it might produce one extra bean on the end of the tendril, but generally the energy the plant puts into it is not worth it.

Day 10
UPDATE#3
Grower update

Update #3

E By ERR0R1755

I'm still not too happy with this one.For comparison, I have the exact same variety, started at the same time as this one (and in the same container!), but it is doing much better in a Kratky setup. I don't think it liked being transplanted into the sponge - I might try doing something different next time I move a seedling into an AeroGarden.
Conversation
E
ERR0R1755

Added 6ml of nutes.

Day 3
UPDATE#2
Grower update

Update #2

E By ERR0R1755

Might restart this one if it doesn't recover from transplant shock.
Conversation
E
ERR0R1755

The roots underneath seem to be healthy and new leaves are coming in on the top.Added 1ml of CALiMAGic and 8ml of AG nutes.

Day 1
UPDATE#1
Grower update

Update #1

Actions taken

PlantingStarted a Purple Dove bush bean seed in perlite.
TransplantMoved the germinated bean into a cut AeroGarden sponge.
NutrientsAdded 8 ml of nutrients.

E By ERR0R1755

Planted one Purple Dove Bush Bean pod using a seed from Victory Seeds. The seed was originally germinated in perlite, so I had to cut a sponge in half to try and get all of the roots back in.It was originally started on Nov 13 and took three days to germinate. The leaves are a bit droopy because the perlite started to dry out.Added 8ml of nutes.
Conversation
U
Unknown

you find so many unusual and different seeds to try out. Where do you get your ideas and inspiration, Error?

E
ERR0R1755

Most of it is just from browsing through (online) seed catalogues and picking things that look interesting or have a name that grabs my attention. I have a folder in my bookmarks with over a hundred different seeds/plants that I want to buy and try at some point I do give some preference to cultivars where there only seems to be one seller - that way, hopefully, I can grow it and have extra seeds to give out - keeping that cultivar alive in case the company shuts down.

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