Beans

[LinnetLegs]

Last year I grew Cherokee Trail of Tears beans as part of a 3 sisters planting experiment. Although I had some tasty beans from them I was a little disappointed by the quantity. I had about 10 seeds left this year and planted them in their own bed. Despite the poor summer weather, I had pounds and pounds of beans from them. I let some go to seed to save for next year. I have got about half a kilo of seeds and have composted as many pods again !!!! All from 10 seeds! I hope they are viable for next year and I am distributing them to lots of friends. So here are my questions:

1. Could they have been cross pollinated by the runner beans that were close by and produce seeds that aren't fertile?
2. Are there any other types of beans that can be grown to eat as green beans then let go to seed to dry and eat the seeds later?
3. Are there any beans that are grown specifically to dry and eat the seeds later?

I am in the north of England (Yorkshire) so they must be able to grow here.

Many thanks in anticipation.......... :) :) :)

I have had an allotment for 2 years so the questions may sound obvious to some of you more experience folk.

[LinnetLegs]

[pumkinlover]

Runner beans are Phaseolus coccineus and French beans are Phaseolus vulgaris. I do not think that they will cross to produce viable or none viable seed. But there are  much more knowledgable people on here.

there are lots of different types of beans which can be grown for the pods to be eaten and then left to make shelling beans. Some are more grown for shelling.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phaseolus_vulgaris

just to give you an idea. reminds me got to shell mine :D

generally speaking I find the climbing (pole beans in USA) are best for shelling and the dwarf (bush) for eating the pod.

[LinnetLegs]

Many thanks for that. I have been googling and have now ordered some Anasazi beans from the USA to try.I love beans and to be able to grow my own beans to dry to last over the winter months would be a dream come true. I eat them in Mexican recipes and Indian and it is a way to make the summer glut of fruits last

[pigeonseed]

I think that most of the ones you can eat as a green bean, will also produce bean-beans (if you see what I mean)

Although I grew Goldfield beans this year, didn't like them as pods, and left them to mature and they have massive pods with hardly any tiny beans in them. So don't do Goldfield!

I like 'A cosse violette' which is a purple French bean. They're nice as whole pods, and when mature produce a huge amount of shelling beans.

For green beans, I love Blue Lake. And if you leave them for shelling the produce dainty white haricots. Also a good cropper.

[lottie lou]

Has everyone picked their beans already?  I still have my borlotti to pick.  I grow these for shelling beans mainly cos I like looking at the bean its so pretty.  Heard it makes good houmous.  Would you like a few to try.

[pumkinlover]

Lottielou- do you dry them or freeze them when the pods are still soft. I try to do the latter as less cooking but depends how much room in the freezer?
Mine had all blown over in the wind so up now :)

[saddad]

Mine are still drying on the plants... in the warm and windy... but if it turns wet will have to be careful they don't go mouldy...  :-\

[pumkinlover]

Wet and windy here ;D

[Digeroo]

If you are going to save seeds from beans it is important not to remove them from the pod until they are snap dry any bend in the pod and they need more time.  If you take the bean out of the pods too soon they will go mouldy when you try to germinate.  I tend to leave them in the pod as long as possible.  I have had good success drying things on the radiator if they have not dried on the plant.  They still seem to germinated well.

There is a small chance that they will cross with other french beans, the bees can travel quite a way but they do tend to come up true.  Any which come up different should be rogued out to keep the strain pure.  CT of T seems to be very good as staying good.

I think Major Cook make lovely baked beans.  Checheslovakian make huge drying beans.
O Driscoll are for me best for fresh shelling.

There are some nice dwarf beans for shelling.  Hungarian Wax make nice large drying beans as well a good tasty yellow pods.

The voles are eating my broad bean seeds, I thought it was the Muntjac and netted them but they are still disappearing.

[antipodes]

I too had a very good late bean harvest, of the beans sown in later June. Cobra as always, but I got a few Goldfield and will grow them next year as they are lovely. I haven't tried eating any of those as shelly beans though...

[artichoke]

Not many people seem to save actual runner beans when the pods dry out. They are big meaty beans, and I have saved them for several years now. Various allotment neighbours allow me to plunder their great stands of toughening beans, as they don't want them themselves.

Another stalwart is "pea beans" - a neighbour gave me some seed, and I find it is excellent as a dried bean, firm and tasty. He eats the green pods, but I prefer the dried seeds.

http://simonsallotment.blogspot.com/2010/10/saving-seed.html

In French markets at this time of year, freshly dried beans of all kinds are offered for sale and are quite expensive and much appreciated. I have even seen "gigandes" in Boulogne, though I forget what the stall holder called hers.

[LinnetLegs]

thanks for all the replies - lots to ponder there  :)

[Morris]

I really like runner bean seeds, fresh or dried. Prefer them to many frenchies.

Cherokee T of T have a similar effect on me as Jerusalem (f)artichokes. TMI?!

[pumkinlover]

Just CT of T?