Beans: a new (to me) Factoid

[GrannieAnnie]

The seed catalogue states that purple runner beans grow better in part shade than green runner beans AND that they germinate in cooler temperatures.
This confirms what has happened in our partly shaded garden with our Italian purple beans and thought I'd pass this info on since you have cooler temps in general than here and perhaps some of you also have a shade problem. They have been very tasty and produced much earlier than our greenies growing side by side. They are also supposed to freeze well which we'll test out this winter.

[GrannieAnnie]

[star]

I would tend to agree with that GA, my purple beans are growing a lot better and much more advanced than the green ones ;)

[GrannieAnnie]

I would tend to agree with that GA, my purple beans are growing a lot better and much more advanced than the green ones ;)

thank you for seconding my motion Star. Do the ayes have it then?

[star]

Aye..............Aye Capt'n  ;D ;D ;D 8) ;)

[Barnowl]

Even allowing for the fact it has been a good year for beans, Blauhilde (purple) this year have been the heaviest cropping climbing bean I've ever grown.

[Jeannine]

Barnowl, there you are.  re beans from  another post that I can't find.

Climbing filet beans, loke Safari Kenyan.

The one I was talking about was Fortex,funnily enough one I have regularly grown without realiseing it's potential. It is not a Kenyan as such, but as this bean grows to 11 inches, it is considered a dual purpose bean because picked at 5-7 inches it has the flavour and slenderness that the filet beans have. Apparently often grown as a filet by commercial growers..naughty.
I have often  grown this one and can vouch fo rthe fact that it has an excellent flavour, better thanany other round,  but I did not pick at the smaller size, I didn't realise I could till I read it later.

I am told that is it superior to the Kenyan because which need to be picked on time or they quickly are over mature whereas this one can be left to get to it's full size.

It took over from Blue Lake for me.

I shall be sending for some in the Spring I think as I have only a few as we speak.

XX Jeannine

[GrannieAnnie]

Barnowl, there you are.  re beans from  another post that I can't find.

Climbing filet beans, loke Safari Kenyan.

The one I was talking about was Fortex,funnily enough one I have regularly grown without realiseing it's potential. It is not a Kenyan as such, but as this bean grows to 11 inches, it is considered a dual purpose bean because picked at 5-7 inches it has the flavour and slenderness that the filet beans have. Apparently often grown as a filet by commercial growers..naughty.
I have often  grown this one and can vouch fo rthe fact that it has an excellent flavour, better thanany other round,  but I did not pick at the smaller size, I didn't realise I could till I read it later.

I am told that is it superior to the Kenyan because which need to be picked on time or they quickly are over mature whereas this one can be left to get to it's full size.

It took over from Blue Lake for me.

I shall be sending for some in the Spring I think as I have only a few as we speak.

XX Jeannine

Jeannine, have you ever frozen them? This winter I bought some frozen French fillet type beans and they were terrible tasteless things. Actually, I've often wondered why folks grow the thin beans because they don't seem meaty to me. Perhaps I haven't tasted the best varieties though.  Once I tried growing a shoe string type bean from Guyana- they were perhaps 18" ? long and there again, not flavorful. If your recommendation tastes good fresh and frozen maybe next year I'll give them a whirl.

[Barnowl]

Hi Jeannine,

I'd love to give them a try. Tried lots of searches even worked through all the haricots in the Graines Baumaux website but no luck finding any climbing filet. In one google I did come across a reference to one called Emerite but that also seems only available in the States.

All the best,

Barnowl

[Jeannine]

I find the flat beans don't freeze  well. they tend to get mushy. I also can veggies in a pressure canner and I find they are terrible in there too.

I have frozen Safari Kenyan beans(filet) I have frozen Isar which is a yellow proper filet and Maxibel  yet another filet  all with no problems. blanched of course.

Regular beans I freeze are Jade ,E.Z pick   I love both these beans,  these are Dwarf French  round and slender. If I want to freeze a lot at once I grow Venture, this is an improvement on Blue Lake  Dwarf and as they mature all at the same time they are very convenient for doing.

Pole beans, I freeze are the Fortex, these are good for a scattered season, Blue Lake  Pole of course.

All of the above freeze well,all are round podded.

I grow Renegade for canning in jars, it is a very sraight 6 inch slender bean that is perfect for that job..

Others I grow that don't freeze as I think they suffer are the the flat Italian types. I like them fresh but they don't freeze and they are useless if canned.

I would go ahead and freeze the round ones mentioned, pick them young though, blanch and cool and freeze as soon as picked.

XX Jeannine