Cobra French Bean

[bluecar]

Hello all.

I'm growing these for the first time - I normally grow Blue Lake. Compared to Blue Lake they seem very thin although some are getting to the length when I would be picking Blue Lake. Does anyone know whether I should pick them now or wait until they get longer.

Regards

Bluecar

[bluecar]

[tricia]

I'm growing Cobra and like to pick them at about 15-18cm. They are, I believe, a thinner variety than Blue Lake. I only have 5 plants this year (slugs/snails!) but they are cropping heavily - as are my 7 Moonlight runner beans which I'm growing for the first time. They, too, are a slender and very tender bean. Will grow them again.

Tricia

[antsuxx]

Im picking my first crop of cobra,but snails and slugs still a menace,grrrrrrrrr  .

[Tee Gee]

I have been growing them for a few years now and having grown many varieties over the years I consider this to be the best variety I have ever grown, and more so if you grow them under cover.

I also think they are one of the best tasting varieties on the market as wel!

I filled a carrier to the brim yesterday and there are still a few to pick.

[Duke Ellington]

My cobra are doing extremely well and the yield is very high!! I have grown them before and have found these to be the best for me. I am also very pleased with Moonlight  and Firestorm runner barns from Marshall's ( self pollinating).  They are a lovely tender bean and will grow them again next year. I have grown other French beans but always go back to cobra.

[bluecar]

Hello all.

Thank you for your replies. I shall be picking some this weekend.

Regards

Bluecar

[Kea]

And if you accidentally let them get big they are still quite tender. Try Maxi for a dwarf variety.

[bluecar]

That's good news Kea.

Regards

Bluecar

[chriscross1966]

I grow CObra as my main crop and it's always one of the most vigorous of the many beans I grow. If you wan t a fast early season dwarf that will grow cheerfully indoors and easily be the first green beans of the year then I'd point you at Speedie.... it's a tiny dwarf, I grow four plants in a 12" square pot normally... they grow fast, set a cluster of beans and then die....  I do also grow BLue Lake but I use it for canellini, it's a remarkably good cropper for that role as it doesn't seem to stop flowering just because it's got some beans set, unlike some of the older varieties I grow...