Can a plant yield vegetables more than once a season? That’s what I wanted to learn from the green bean plants I raised from seeds.

My specimens were sparse. Of the 50 or so seeds planted in my first round, only one grew to maturity. It seemed dormant for weeks.

Then, I returned from a two-week vacation to find five plump beans on the plant.

Not enough for even a single robust serving on my plate, but enough to satisfy my curiosity.