Magic Beans in Middletown
As part of our local Community Day on May 4th, MTLC will be handing out packets containing over 1000x Magic Beans (actually Purple Hyacinth seeds).
Why are we doing this? We want people to get involved in their gardens, and maybe by extension it encourages people to get involved in the environment as well. Purple Hyacinth is an excellent source of wildlife nectar and living thing food, it’s easy to grow, and we think it looks spectacular.
Purple Hyacinth Vine
First planted at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello kitchen garden and also known as the Jefferson Bean. Purple Hyacinth is a climbing vine with enchanting purple and white flowers and bean pods. It is generally pest and disease free when planted in full sun. Purple Hyacinth is a helpful nectar source for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Most of the plant is edible, and the flowers are sometimes used to garnish fancy cakes.
Full Planting Instructions:
Seeds can be planted throughout the entire month of May.
(Optional) soak seeds for 6-12 hours so they can absorb water. This helps seeds come out of dormancy so that it’s easier for them to germinate once in the soil.
Select a location in full sun (for maximum yield, but also to prevent mildew or fungus on leaves). The vines will be able to climb up to 10-20 feet if they are given a cord to climb near their planting site.
Loosen soil with a hand shovel, atleast 3” wide and 3” deep so that the young plant can easily take root. The individual seeds should be positioned 1” deep and spaced approximately 6” apart.
Water every other day for atleast 2 weeks until the plants reach several inches tall. You can skip watering if it rains.
End of Season (re-beaning?)
Purple Hyacinth is an annual, and must be replanted from seed every year. When the purple pods are fully mature and the beans inside are hard (around October), the pods can be removed whole and stored for next spring.
Purple Hyacinth on a Pergola in August