Hello, I have had my trumpet vine for over 5 years, but this is the first time I have seen 8-10" beans on it - I presume they are seed pods of some kind, but I haven't been able to verify that. Does anyone know? and if so - do I let them dry on the vine before attempting to harvest?
Sue
If you let them dry on the vine, they'll self harvest, creating more vines. You've reached the stage where I was when I decided it was time to eliminate the trumpet vines. It took 5 years, but it's finally gone. It was worst than passion vines (May Pops) to kill off!!
Tom J
Yes they are seed pods, full of "flake" type seeds. If you let them dry completely, they will split open and spill out the seeds. You can probably harvest them anytime after they start to turn color.
Sue, what I've learned now since planting my own trumpet vine (an orange sherbet colored one dug up from my friend's gardens in west Knoxville ten years ago) is CUT THEM PUPPIES OFF NOW!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't wait for them to ripen and split open to spread their wind blown seed everywhere. The seeds are tenacious about burying into the ground despite their flat nature. Once germinated, you'll find you have a vine that will resist all efforts to eliminate.
I love my vine, don't get me wrong. The hummers, bumblies and other pollinators adore the blossoms, but now I get up on a step ladder and cut off every pod I find. I'm pulling at least 5-11 volunteer vines every year, and I realize I'm not really getting them because of that deep thunking sound the root makes as I try to tear it out. I regret that I didn't plant this vine against a Jack pine down in my woods where it didn't matter. Where the vine is planted is at the entrance to my only side yard which has four of my ten raised gardens in it. I've already tried to rip out five babies in my western bed alone, and even as small as they are, they are deep.
Now unless you like having these popping up everywhere clip them off and send them packing to the landfill. Or better yet, find a wild, orange one and drop them next to that vine and maybe they'll blend colors and make a whole new color! (just kidding, even though we do have the wild orange ones all along the roadsides here in Eastern Tennessee). and did I mention that the roots are tenacious about germinating new vines as well? I'm finding them up in my beds as far away from the main vine as 15 foot.............scary, huh?
madgardener up on the ridge, back in Fairy Holler still trying to heal from blood poisoning, watching my gardens go on with or without me thru the windows, overlooking English Mountain in Eastern Tennessee where the days are deffinately shortening and we're fast approaching Fall Solstice.................zone 7, Sunset zone 36
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