'stringless' runner beans

[mhj75]

I feel kind of embarrassed that I don't know the answer to this, having grown them for 7 years or more but...

When catalogues refer to 'stringless' runner beans, what do they mean exactly? I assumed the 'strings' were down the sides of the beans, so that even if you had stringy beans you could peel them off by shaving off the sides of the beans with a peeler.

But I've noticed that especially towards the end of the season, and if the beans stay too long on the plant, they get tough and inedible.

So, do 'stringless' beans have no strings down the sides of the beans or does it mean that they don't get tough and inedible as they get older?

[mhj75]

[Fork]

Thats exactly what they mean.

They are only stringless if picked very young and small...let them get any decent size and they will be stringy!

Nothing worse than a mouthful of stringy beans in your mouth!!

[caroline7758]

So do you just put the big old ones on the compost? Mine are getting that way now.

[Fork]

Yes,put them ni the compost if you want....or leave them a while longer so you get seed for next year.

[Vinlander]

It's been said her before, but is still little known elsewhere:- runner bean seeds are really delicious cooked while they are still moist and plump - and are pretty good when cooked from dried beans.

Cheers.

[goodlife]

Yep...just made a chilli with them other day..loovely...
Caroline...let you runners set seed..no point waisting stringy beans into compost heap ;)

[Jeannine]

Absolutely agree, they are great when shelled and cooked as a fresh bean.. dried and saved as seed of course or if you have loads keep as a dry bean and use as such.XX Jeannine

PS There are some beans that can be described as stringless when older but I don't know a true runner that can claim that, some of the green beans(not runners) for sure remain good though.

XX Jeannine