Have just spent the day down the plot with the sprogs and have managed to construct the bean poles for this year (plus aquired a very deep splinter ::))
Now I know I want the usual runners, but kids have requested that I don't just grow the furry beans (ie. runners) I grew some lovely climbing french beans a couple of years ago, but their name is long forgotten in the midsts of time. Last years were different and just weren't the same, so I apologise if this question has been already covered, but could anyone recomend their favourites so I can get ordering pronto, as am about to drown in a sea of work and coursework very soon and want to sort this out.
Thank you....
Corinne
Hope your splinter is out and has stopped hurting.
There are literally hundreds of climbing French bean, but the one that is mentioned most often seems to be 'Cobra'. Lots of stockists. This is quite a modern, recently bred green pencil podded type and has won merit awards. It is very heavy bearing.
For something a bit different and a bit of fun for the kiddies, perhaps Blauhilde (purple pods, cooking to green) or Neckargold for yellow pods. Both from Organic Catalogue.
Blue Lake always seem to do well for me. As do Cobra.
I love cosse violet...never fails me..never stringy, even if left to grow bit larger..
loverly deep purple colour(doesn't keep when cooked)..yum ;D
My favs are Cherokee Trail of Tears (black seeds in green pods)
Blue Coco (brown beans in purple pods)
Blue Lake (white seeds in green pods)
although Ryder's Top of the pole... white/green, Kentucky Wonder (same) Mr Fearns (black seeds) are good too...
If you pm me I could send you a goody bag of say 10 each for them to try...
:)
Fortex is my new favourite,it is a dual bean, at maturity beans are very long 10 " and very slender and they can also be picked as younger beans 5" long then they are a french filet beans. i It is a good alround bean with a super flavour,XX Jeannine
I quite like MERAVIGLIA DI VENEZIA but have found it is not keen on early cold so later planted ones do much better. Depends whether your children like yellow.
I used to grow Blue Lake but had problems with bean rust, particularly in damp summers. 2007 - a dreadful summer - made me change.
I now grow Cobra which are excellent, as indicated by others.
I have a spare dig in pack of blue lake if you'd like them, just sowed mine :)
If I grew one bean it would be Cosse Violette - taste, vigour, longevity.
Cherokee Trail of Tears for me. Have some spare if you want to try. Always save our own seed.
Yes I had Cobra last year and have bought some more, Alan Romans sells them very cheaply (they might all have gone now though). Even if the pods get quite big they are edible, and they produce very well. Fine taste. They grow about 150-200cm tall, I had them up poles.
would love to try some of these if anyone is generous enough to offer! (have been encourged in another thread to be a bit cheeky and simply ask!) I mean of course after coznbob (happy birthday!) who first posted this.
I'd particularly like to grow some of the blue ones.
Happy to do a good turn in exchange when I can!
Like you Antipodes, got my Cobra from Alan Romans last year and did pretty well so I've gone back to him again. I've also grown outdoor cuc's with my climbing beans the last couple of years just for a bit of extra interest. Lance
Quote from: goodlife on April 13, 2010, 07:33:09
I love cosse violet...never fails me..never stringy, even if left to grow bit larger..
loverly deep purple colour(doesn't keep when cooked)..yum ;D
I agree, it's a lovely bean.
Can I put another vote in for Cobra. Available widely.
my packet of Cobra was the last thing i ever bought from Woolworths
Quote from: Bugloss2009 on April 13, 2010, 13:24:24
my packet of Cobra was the last thing i ever bought from Woolworths
You'd better get planting them then, before they get too old. ;)
Thank you very much everyone.... am going to take up saddad's offer of the goody bag and go to alan roman's site to get some cobra.
Manics - I got the dig in seeds so must already have blue lake, will need to dig them out and check, put them in one of my famous safe places to hide them from the OH and his eye rolling at the sight of yet more seeds. Thanks v. much for the offer though.
Shirlton, also big thanks for the offer, I think saddad mentioned trail of tears so I will not be greedy and steal yours too ;D
Corinne
Cobra did well for me last year and although I never used to be much of a green bean fan I loved it adn will be growing it this year though in the garden, my main allotment will be growing a lot of other beans but all for shelling.....
chrisc
Cobra for me as well. Also like Blauhilde - a purple podded bean.
Both did well last year.
Blimey
Just went to order from Alan Romans, cobra beans 80p a packet! Haven't ordered from him in a while, I shall be again, very good value...also got parsnip for 50P!!!!! (amongst other things) Total order came to £5.70
Glad I started this thread ;D
I have bought 2 new beans in France on the recommendation of the seedsman.
SMERALDO
The Best-Tasting climbing bean in the World!
Resistant to Bean Common Mosaic Virus.
55 days. The best-selling flat bean in Europe, this scrumptious variety offers large, bright green pods with absolutely indescribable succulent seeds. The white seeds are widely considered the most flavourful of all, but you must grow it and taste for yourself!
Smeraldo is a tall, very vigorous plant that reaches 4 to 6 feet tall and 2 feet wide. It sets masses of long, straight 8- to 10-inch pods simply stuffed with delectable seeds. You will love the gourmet flavour of this easy-to-grow European delight!
EMERITE
Émérite Filet Climbing Bean50-60 days
Now, climbing bean enthusiasts can have their filets and eat them too! Émérite is a true filet bean from France, generously borne in cascading clusters on graceful vines growing to 8'. Climbing beans out-produce bush beans due to their protracted harvest and, in this case, what a harvest! Émérite sets heavy yields of uniformly slim, 1/4" filet beans. Special breeding work to slow seed production within the bean allows harvest at any stage from teeny baby filets to mature filet beans at 7" long. The vines are beautiful - delicate rose-pink blossoms contrast with the large, soft green, deeply-veined leaves. (OP.)
I have slightly modified the descriptions taken from American sites, and corrected the spelling to proper English.
Filet beans mean thin beans.
http://allaboutallotments.com/index.html
Cosse Violette's always been my favourite. It's reliable, prolific, and the beans are excellent.
Just had a quick (well, not SO quick) tot up and I have spare Blue Lake (lots), Lingua di Fuoccio (again, lots), Cherokee Trail of Tears (bloody loads) and a few Goldfield, if anybody wants them.
Also Ezeta's Krombeck Blauschokker - a purple podded climbing pea - got an abundance of these...
Send me a PM and I'll get them in the post. :)
Grew Smeraldo last year not on my list for a repeat performance.
I like Fortex as it is a dual purpose bean which grows to 10 ins, if picked immature at about 5 inches it makes a good " filet bean type", very thin and straight.
.
Filet beans are not just thin beans, they are a type in their own right.
True filet beans can be complicated to grow as they have to be picked at absolutely the right time , they over mature very quickly, even a day can tip the scale from good to garbage. They are all dwarf.
Many commercial growers are cheating and using types like Fortex as they are cheaper to produce.
Xx Jeannine