您现在的位置: Language Tips> Audio & Video> Special Speed News  
   
 





 
Working magic in the garden with beans
[ 2009-03-25 10:01 ]

Download

Advice from the University of Illinois Extension.

This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

Beans are a popular choice for home gardens.

Specialists at the University of Illinois Extension say bush beans need the least work. The plants do not need supports to stand.

Working magic in the garden with beans

Green bush beans used to be called string beans because of fibers along the pods containing the seeds. But plant breeding reduced the fibers, and now the beans are known as snap beans. Fresh ones break with the pleasing sound of a snap.

Unlike bush beans, pole beans need supports to climb. But they need less space because they twist around poles or sticks. Also, because the plants are tall, a person can stand while harvesting the beans.

Beans should not be planted until all risk of freeze has passed in the spring. Planting beans every 2 to 4 weeks until early August will provide a continuous harvest.

Control weeds growing around bean plants, but be careful not to harm the plants. Their root systems are not very strong or deep.

Seeds should be planted 2.5 centimeters deep. Make sure the soil is not too wet or the seeds could develop poorly.

Bush beans should be planted 5 to 10 centimeters apart. Space the rows at least 45 to 60 centimeters apart.

Plant pole beans 10 to 15 centimeters apart along rows, and leave about 80 to 90 centimeters of room between the rows. Or you could plant the beans along rows of hills with 4 to 6 seeds per hill. The hills should be spaced about 80 centimeters apart, and the rows should also be about 80 centimeters apart.

The University of Illinois Extension service says you should harvest beans when the pods are firm and have reached theirfull length. Do not wait until the seeds inside are fully developed. Bean plants produce more beans if pods are continually removed before the seeds are mature.

But wait until the plants are completely dry before picking beans. Picking beans from wet plants can spread bean bacterial blight, a disease that damages the plants.

Beans should be moved to different areas of the garden each year. This is because diseases that infect beans can stay in the soil and infect the next bean crop.

Not only are beans a healthy food, they are also good for the soil. Other plants take nitrogen out of the soil, but beans and other legumes replace it.

And that's the VOA Special English Agriculture Report, written by Jerilyn Watson. For more advice for home gardens, go to voaspecialenglish.com. I'm Bob Doughty.

full length:全长,标准长度

Related stories:

Growing crops with less water

DIY: Growing tomatoes

DIY: Growing potatoes

(Source: VOA 英语点津编辑)

 
英语点津版权说明:凡注明来源为“英语点津:XXX(署名)”的原创作品,除与中国日报网签署英语点津内容授权协议的网站外,其他任何网站或单位未经允许不得非法盗链、转载和使用,违者必究。如需使用,请与010-84883631联系;凡本网注明“来源:XXX(非英语点津)”的作品,均转载自其它媒体,目的在于传播更多信息,其他媒体如需转载,请与稿件来源方联系,如产生任何问题与本网无关;本网所发布的歌曲、电影片段,版权归原作者所有,仅供学习与研究,如果侵权,请提供版权证明,以便尽快删除。
相关文章 Related Story
 
 
 
本频道最新推荐
 
Walking in the US first lady's shoes
“准确无误”如何表达
英国新晋超女苏珊大妈改头换面
猪流感 swine flu
你有lottery mentality吗
翻吧推荐
 
论坛热贴
 
别乱扔垃圾。怎么译这个乱字呀?
橘子,橙子用英文怎么区分?
看Gossip Girl学英语
端午节怎么翻译?
母亲,您在天堂还好吗?