Growing Snake Bean (gourd)
Posted: Sun May 22, 2022 5:33 pm
This afternoon I've been reading reviews on Baker Creek's site about the snake bean I'm growing. What a hoot!
https://www.rareseeds.com/chinese-python-snake-bean
This is going to be an interesting and fun time indeed! After reading about people's problems getting the seeds germinated, I feel pretty good that mine are coming up seven days out. Of course it really helps to have VERY warm soil. Plus the seeds were soaked for 24 hours, not overnight. I made a ridge of soil under the trellis so that it would get really warm and then planted the beans in small depressions down the ridge so the water wouldn't run off.
Then I did some research online. This thing, Tricosanthes cucumerina, isn't really a bean but a gourd. It's also a night bloomer with very frilly white flowers. And the wild thing is that it is in the cucumber family! I found a really good tutorial and here's the link in case anyone wants to play with this.
https://www.evergreenseeds.com/snake-gourd/
https://www.rareseeds.com/chinese-python-snake-bean
This is going to be an interesting and fun time indeed! After reading about people's problems getting the seeds germinated, I feel pretty good that mine are coming up seven days out. Of course it really helps to have VERY warm soil. Plus the seeds were soaked for 24 hours, not overnight. I made a ridge of soil under the trellis so that it would get really warm and then planted the beans in small depressions down the ridge so the water wouldn't run off.
Then I did some research online. This thing, Tricosanthes cucumerina, isn't really a bean but a gourd. It's also a night bloomer with very frilly white flowers. And the wild thing is that it is in the cucumber family! I found a really good tutorial and here's the link in case anyone wants to play with this.
https://www.evergreenseeds.com/snake-gourd/