Darn it! I thought I was posting this in the legume forum. I'll repost there.

Just ignore me! I need more coffee.

It's found space. Try something new!

Are fava beans and those flat Italian Green beans the same bean?

fliptx

It all depends on what you want to do with the space, of course. Since you have two new beds, you might think about growing one bed with more of your favorites and the other bed with something new.

Why did you decide on beans? Rather than corn or tomatoes or something else? Just curious.

Anney, I decided on beans because even without the branch hanging down directly over that spot, it's still not quite sunny enough for tomatoes or peppers. The neighbors have big oaks that block morning sun on one side and late afternoon sun on the other side. Since I've been pretty successful growing beans with less light, I figured it'd be a good bet.

But I do have some new space opening up on the other side of the garden. An extra tomato plant and a hill of butternut squash will be going there!

fliptx

Ah, I see.

If it tickles your fancy, lettuce can grow in partial shade, too. It's a good choice to plant before and after beans during cooler weather. I got hooked on homegrown lettuce because it's tastier, crisper and yet more tender than anything I've been able to buy at the market. They all seem "tough" and tasteless to me now. And it's easy to grow. I keep a large container of it on the back deck that's shaded part of the day and just keep scattering seed in it as the older lettuce gets used up or conks out because of the heat. I did buy some Jericho romaine and Merlot Batavian seeds for this spring that can stand more heat and light.

Given your small gardening space, if you have some trellis material, you might give pole beans a go for their heartier bean taste and greater productivity than bush beans. They're also easier to pick! This year I'm trying the pole bean linked below for the first time, but there are many time-tested pole bean varieties that are delicious.

Here is a link that might be useful: French Bean Smeraldo

Yeah, I hear ya on the lettuce thing. I much prefer home grown. I've got some Orielles du Diable growing right now, which is a very pretty lettuce. (Haven't eaten it yet.) When it gets warmer, I usually have a little lettuce growing in containers and then I move them to an area with less sun. It's like my own portable garden. :)

I was planning to do pole beans on the south side of the beds and bush beans on the north, for best use of sunlight. I grew Fortex and Genuine Cornfield last year. I'm adding Insuks Wang Kong (a runner bean) to the front yard this year.

I understand being giddy. My DH is going to put in another 24 x 4 foot bed for me. I've been putting in short rows trying to determine what grows well and tastes good before committing a large area. It has worked for me. Some shell beans are not worth the trouble but I wouldn't know that with out trying. He also in a 4x4 foot cold frame and he putting in a pretty white fence to one side of the garden.