I am near Phoenix AZ and this year I planted about 10-15 soaked seeds directly in the ground below a grapefruit tree ( for shading ). I did very little to get the ground ready. I have a lot of gravel and the soil tends to be hard as a rock so I barely scraped it and threw potting soil on top and then spread the seeds and worked them into the soil so they would be covered to some extent. Yes, I know this is not the way to properly plant, but I had great success. My plants are close to each other ( 6 to 8 inches) about 6' tall and produce lots of pods. I harvest the pods when they are no bigger than 2" long so they are tender. Of course because the plants are so close to each other I keep missing pods and discover them when they are 6" long. I leave them to mature on the plant and cut them down only when I see them turn brown. I have enough of them to last me 100 years. We are now in November and I am still harvesting daily. What will happen if I do not cut them down? Will they produce next year also or do I have to start all over with new plants? Can I treat them as a perenial plant?
I am near Phoenix AZ and this year I planted about 10-15 soaked seeds directly in the ground below a grapefruit tree ( for shading ). I did very little to get the ground ready. I have a lot of gravel and the soil tends to be hard as a rock so I barely scraped it and threw potting soil on top and then spread the seeds and worked them into the soil so they would be covered to some extent. Yes, I know this is not the way to properly plant, but I had great success. My plants are close to each other ( 6 to 8 inches) about 6' tall and produce lots of pods. I harvest the pods when they are no bigger than 2" long so they are tender. Of course because the plants are so close to each other I keep missing pods and discover them when they are 6" long. I leave them to mature on the plant and cut them down only when I see them turn brown. I have enough of them to last me 100 years. We are now in November and I am still harvesting daily. What will happen if I do not cut them down? Will they produce next year also or do I have to start all over with new plants? Can I treat them as a perenial plant?