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| Granddaughter Mattie-Belle's Beanstalk, before Transplanting |
As the end of her third year of school, my granddaughter, as generations of grade one students before her have done, brought home a plastic cup in which was growing a sprouting bean.
Mattie-Belle not surprisingly, was more impressed with the bean than the report card; and, not content to let the bean grow any longer in it's original container, she hounded me for several days to help her get it out of the cup and into the ground.
Not wanting to subdue the enthusiasm of my little potager protege, I found a suitable pot and used up the last of my good organic gardening soil to give her 'magic bean' - she said it might grow a beanstalk - a fighting chance at survival.
Within the week, the transplanted bean plant had outgrown the foot-high dollar store trellis I'd thought would give it plenty of support; and, when Mattie-Belle once again suggested the plant might be a beanstalk, I began to think she could be on to something.
The bean took to the outdoors well and is being tended by a zealous gardener. Mattie-Belle is not one to let a plant go without a good watering; so, it's lucky for the bean plant that it's pot has ample drainage holes.
The only major threat to this beanstalk's ultimate survival seems to be that Mattie-Belle can't stop lifting the heavy pot and carrying it to all possible admirers: Letting people come to the plant doesn't seem to be a concept her enthusiastic nature can grasp.
I'm cautiously optimistic that the bean project will make it to bean harvest: Many times, before – with other children's grade one projects – I've 'bean' there, done that, and the outcome hasn't always been successful.
This time, Mattie-Belle and I are both really trying our very best; although, sometimes our very best can be REALLY trying, don't you know. Anyway, stay tuned!
