I have been growing French bean Blue Lake for several years now and save the seed from year to year. Today I have been sorting through the seeds that I will be saving for next year and I came across an unopened packet received from the BBC Dig In. I decided to open it up to see if the seeds were bigger or smaller than those I have saved.
To my utter amazement, they were white whereas those I have from my own Blue Lake are a deep blue and usually turn brownish black after a while. The beans I received from the BBC are also a different shape too! How can this be? :-\
Just had a look at my Blue Lake from Kings Seeds and they are white......... how strange ???
Can't answer your question though Pauline, hopefully somebody will.
Ninny
Yep..mine are white too..
Now some of the heritage bean sites do specify that their blue lake is white seeded version...so I asume then that there is some dark seeded ones too...
It would be nice to get some of those for bean swap... ;) ;D
see this about blue lake pole beans...
http://www.seedfest.co.uk/seeds/beans/beans.html (http://www.seedfest.co.uk/seeds/beans/beans.html)
Definitely white - I bought some for the first time earlier this year & the leftover ones hanging on the vines have white beans too.
Have to say I wasn't mad keen on them and probably won't grow them next year.
Cheers
Very spooky Paulines7, I have just this second been taking the seeds out of my saved seed pods and was thinking I don't remember the Blue lake seeds from BBC Dig In being white, then I turn the puter on and this was the first thing I saw on the forum. :o ;D ;D ;D
Mine are white too...
Hi Pauline, the well known original snap bean is white, however there is a black seeded Blue Lake, I have both and have been saving them for years.
Differences: I find the white seeded one is a tad earlier and it certainly keeps on going right till the frost if picked regualrly, however I think the black seeded one is a little more prolific in terms of bean pods produced if not picked often. I have grown them both and used as dried too which is where the black one fairs better as there are more pods. Neither are a great choice as a dry bean as they stop producing pods fairly quickly if not picked.Taste is very similar. I doubt if I could tell the difference blind folded when used as a green snap bean but as a dried bean I find the black one has a more beany flavour.
XX Jeannine
Hmm... I'd have to voice a disagreement here... I grewq the white seeded ones form the BBC this year and found them to be a good cropper for shelling/dried. I certainly seem to have plenty of dried canellini around the place. They were pretty early (the second of the climbers to produce useable beans) and all in all I'd thoroughly recommend them to beginners.... partly cos the seed is easily available so they're not wasting what might be rare heritage seeds.... sames true of Borlotti really and they make a good combination of early and late....
chrisc
Thank you all for your replies. I have decided to grow both types next year just to see how they compare.
I have another question. When sorting out my seed box last night I came across about 1lb of assorted runner beans that, although still looking fresh, are about 4 years old. I have some new ones saved for next years crop but can I use the old ones for cooking? They are all from my own produce so do not have any chemicals on them. If I eat them, do they have to be soaked overnight in water please?
Quote from: Paulines7 on October 14, 2010, 11:22:43
Thank you all for your replies. I have decided to grow both types next year just to see how they compare.
I have another question. When sorting out my seed box last night I came across about 1lb of assorted runner beans that, although still looking fresh, are about 4 years old. I have some new ones saved for next years crop but can I use the old ones for cooking? They are all from my own produce so do not have any chemicals on them. If I eat them, do they have to be soaked overnight in water please?
At four years old they would most likely still germinate and grow, but they will take longer to soak and cook. They will soften eventually, just take longer than freshly dried seeds.
Thanks Galina. They still germinate but I just have so many so soaking overnight and then putting them in a casserole may be a good way of getting rid of them.
Hi again Pauline , peroidically I clear out my bean stash, soak them over night then cook them, some older than 4 years so go ahead so go for it, I generally do all I have and if it is a lot once cooked I freeze the excess to chuck in soup cooked. Whatever the variety it seems to work well although some need less soakong than others. I made a mixed bean sort of baked beans dish in the slow cooker a few weeks ago and it was surprising how some broke up while others needed quite a few hours cooking so it was a good learning experience., made a great baked bean dish though with a bit of molasses and a chunk of smoked bacon XX Jeannine