Pole Beans

One of my favorite crops is Pole Beans. My taste buds like them - and I love clingy, viny plants. I grew Kentucky Wonder with organic seed. I had the good sense to stagger the seed sowing a bit, which came in really handy towards fall.
 Ok. I lied. Good sense had nothing to do with it. I just resowed as the bugs had their merry raping and pillaging party. But that staggered sowing ended up to be good for me. I will probably plant them a bit later also next spring. The slugs and bugs had a feast day with these seedlings, and I have read and heard that this dies down as summer approaches. We had a total war going on, though. I was out spraying them with Neem oil and soapy water in the morning and evening. The culprit mainly seemed to be those cucumber beetles. As with the raccoons in my previous life, I used to think that these were cute little bugs - but no longer, my friends. Oh no. No longer.

I didn't really do anything special to them. Mainly they got a good dose of worm castings once in a while and daily watering. The soil is that heavy California Coast clay that had not been amended well, so they did a bit better than I would have hoped. I think with a better soil and longer light they would produce more heavily. The vines loved the trestle that I made for them, the bees loved the blossoms, and they kept going well into October

.I got enough beans to freeze a few bags and give away now and then - and I almost got sick of having beans for dinner every other night. Honestly, though, I love them and I cant wait to grow them again. I think that next time, I will move the trestle to the front of the line and see how the lettuce and spinach does behind it. I think those plants will be shaded, but get just enough light to be happy. The possibility of me being wrong about this is high, so nothing is set in stone yet. The sun dried the soil out too fast for them and this was problematic. They didn't like the blaring sun.  I want happy lettuce that wont get bitter and can just chill out for me. Is that too much to ask?
I'll also have better soil next year. I have a plan.