Pole bean problem

Question

Last year our vegetable garden was full of wood chips. This year our veggies did not do well, with my pole beans growing 2 feet long & 1/4 inch wide. What happened?

Answer 1

Gardeners are still debating whether wood chips are good for the garden or not. I think for myself I would use wood chip as mulch on landscape beds, but I would limit its use on edible gardens to pathways or areas between vegetable beds or rows. The main problem, aside from the possibility of treated or allelopathic materials, seems to be the way uncomposted wood chip affects nitrogen in the soil. I feel that composted material is the best way to amend the soil in the vegetable garden. This article discusses some aspects of this subject: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/composting/basics/compost-as-garden-mulch.htm
Of course, if you want to know exactly what’s going on with the soil, you can get an analysis from the count extension service. This link will help you locate one:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/info/what-is-extension-service.htm
As for your beans, those sound like yard long beans, or Chinese long beans, Vigna inguiculata. Is there some way you could have got those seeds? This article has more about these beans: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/growing-asian-style-vegetables.htm
PS, don’t try to cook these in water or steam; you need to fry or saute them only.