Topic: Saving Bean Seeds

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

I know that runner beans cross-pollinate very readily, and that it's less of a problem with French beans, but do people take special precautions when saving French beans for next year? -putting a bag over the flowers etc? Cross-pollination may be less of a problem, but with the very distinct varieties, climbing or bush - haricot, borlotti, cannellini etc, you could end up with some  very odd stuff...

[theothermarg]

I,v saved blue lake from my allotment for years now and all I,v ever got is tasty
blue lake beans

[saddad]

Runner and Broad Beans are out pollinators but French are fine... having them on seperate wigwams has worked fine for me for over a decade....
Runnerbeans put them in a poly tunnel with a mesh door, kept Sunset like that before they brought it back onto the National List!
 ;D

[redimp]

I have saved my own runner seed from last year without taking any precautions - what are the problems with this?  People have been saving runner bean seed for years and it is supposed to acclimatise the bean to soil type and aspect and produce better yields.  I am pretty sure that my HDRA book does not say I need to take any special precautions with runners ???

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

I have saved my own runner seed from last year without taking any precautions - what are the problems with this?  People have been saving runner bean seed for years and it is supposed to acclimatise the bean to soil type and aspect and produce better yields.  I am pretty sure that my HDRA book does not say I need to take any special precautions with runners ???

this was what set me off, from [url][http://www.realseeds.co.uk/beans.html/url]

"Runner Beans DO cross very easily, so only grow one type if you want to keep the seed.

Broad Beans also cross A LOT and are hard to keep for seed as you need to isolate them from others with 1/2 a mile or so. "

I'm with you redclanger, on saving runner bean seed without taking precautions, cos for me a runner bean is just a runner bean. The only way i'd know something was up was if the flowers were suddenly a different colour or something

[angle shades]

if you are a seed guardian for HDRA  growing a heritage runner bean, you would have to grow them like saddad.

if  keeping a variety true, doesn't bother you then you can let them cross pollinate,

I grow scarlet emperor- purple and black mottled seed

and white lady- white seed, when they cross pollinate you get black seed

you can grow lots of varieties of french beans together, bees don't pollinate them / shades x

[redimp]

Hmmm, may stick to Painted Lady then as they taste great and I try to pick them small and they have white and red flowers so are the best of both worlds ;D

[Tee Gee]

I have never bought runner & broad beans for over twenty years I just save my own, and can't say I have had any problems.

On looking what the seed merchants charge for them I must have saved a small fortune over the years, how can they justify these prices?

Just by saving a half dozen pods of each variety I always have more than enough for my needs.