Topic: those very thin pencil beans

[jandy]

can any one tell me what those very thin bean are, (the ones you get in tuna salads) I think they may be french climbing bean.

[twinkletoes]

Hi Jandy.  Think you have guessed right.  Mind you, a dwarf French bean would be the same - wouldn't it?

Twinkletoes

[valmarg]

We tend to grow climbing french beans. The dwarf varieties, when they have the beans on the plants, the weight of the beans makes them drop on the soil, and slugs just love em.

Varieties I would recommend Fasold (T&M)m Cobra (Moles Seeds) Diamant (DTB) and Rustico (MrF)
 
Of these my favourite would be Fasold.

valmarg

[twinkletoes]

You are right Valmarg - I've dwarf french beans and they are listing a bit with the weight of the beans - and they are a darned nightmare to pick.  Not had any trouble with hungry slugs yet though. Are the climbing ones as prolific?  Might have a bash at these next year. 

Twinkletoes.

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

not too late to sow some now - dwarf beans anyway. They look good in pots and troughs too

[jandy]

Thank you so much.  I have looked everywhere for them, Tesco and Marks and spencer sell them but they come from Kenya, so I thought maybe they couldn't be grown in the UK, its good to know that I can still have a go at growing them this year. (I live in south) I do like them in salads. Not that I need any more beans I have a freezer full of runners.

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

if the garden centres have taken their seeds off the shelves to make way for christmas  decorations ??? i'm sure there are plenty of people here will send you some. let's hope the autumn is as good as last year

[Jeannine]

Kenya Safari beans are the one I always grow, they are actually my very favourite beans,XX Jeannine

I always get mine from Suttons and they DO have them in stock now. £2.15 a packet no delivery charge and delivery in 5 days.

[tim]

Better than having them flown in from Kenya?

A day in the life of a bean - as with other things - makes a big difference.

[jandy]

Thank you, Jannine they are on there way, and with luck it will be warmer in september than it has been in August.

[caroline7758]

I've grown climbing rather than dwarf french benas this year, for the reasons given above, but they haven't produced much. I think this is probably to do with the weather, but the chap on the next plot reckons dwarf ones do better.

[saddad]

I always do better with CF but have several rows of Tendergreen putting out true leaves that I sowed direct at the end of July..

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

ooh I got safari in a seed swap, i'll look forward to those

it's been a slow start for dwarf and climbing FBs for me this year, unlike last year which was great

[valmarg]

I've grown climbing rather than dwarf french beans this year, for the reasons given above, but they haven't produced much. I think this is probably to do with the weather, but the chap on the next plot reckons dwarf ones do better.

I think its got to be the weather.  We have been growing them for years, and would normally have a glut by now, but have hardly had anything.

We also start some in tubs in the greenhouse for an early crop, but they have done nothing this year.

I think it was too hot in April when we were sowing the beans, and got very poor germination rate.  When we eventually planted them out the heavens opened and stunted all growth.  They are growing away quite well now, so we should have a good harvest, but much later than usual.

Another reason why I prefer climbing as opposed to dwarf beans is that when the dwarf beans hit the ground, they curl up, and you don't get the lovely long straight beans that you do with climbing.

valmarg

[valmarg]

You are right Valmarg - I've dwarf french beans and they are listing a bit with the weight of the beans - and they are a darned nightmare to pick.  Not had any trouble with hungry slugs yet though. Are the climbing ones as prolific?  Might have a bash at these next year.

Twinkletoes, we find the climbing french beans extremely prolific.  Being self fertile they do not rely on the bees to set.  We usually have a wigwam of about eight canes for all the varieties mentioned above.  Usually by this time we have beans coming out of our ears, but this year has definitely been a bad year+++.

Next year has got to be better!!

I wholeheartedly recommend them, as opposed to dwarf.

valmarg

[Tin Shed]

The thinest straightest french beans I have ever grown were Sprite - I think they came from Kings. I am growing them this year and they are just starting to crop.So far we have been trying to eat our way through a glut of Cobra, a yellow and a climbing purple variety,as well as all the runner beans!!

[Dadnlad]

To stop slugs from chewing on your dwarf french beans when they hang down,  try stretching pea netting horizontaly about a foot or so above the ground after planting out  8)

[Jeannine]

Jandy I am glad to help,  I think you will like them they are filet beans very thin and they don't need bees to pollinate.

XX Jeannine