Topic: Saving seeds - Moonlight beans

[tricia]

After the drought my Moonlight beans went mad with a second flush. The first produced a very good quantity of beans considering the lack of water but enough were left on the plants to dry for a later seed harvest. Now there are a lot of huge beans which didn't get picked (too high! )that are still green alongside the already dried pods. Question - do I have to leave the still green pods on the plants until the foliage dies back or will they dry out if I spread them out on the greenhouse staging?

The Cobra beans succumbed to the drought  - no second flush but there are enough dried pods for sowing next year (and for the soup pot!)

Tricia 

[Vetivert]

Have the pods finished growing? If they are still green but mature, you can pick them from the vines and leave them to dry elsewhere.
Even immature pods can produce viable seeds, though the seeds will look a little small and wonky 

[Vinlander]

Bean seeds that are still green are dried and sold as flageolets - there are various uses for them - mainly because when rehydrated they are still more tender than beans dried after maturity.

If they are in the way or at risk from frost they're worth picking for cooking or drying.

Cheers

[Digeroo]

I have taken to putting beans into those vegetable net bags they sell in the supermarkets.  Then i hang them on the radiators to dry off.