I adore eating runners they are definitely my favourite green bean, despite the faff to prepare them.
Both produce a decent size crop.
But French beans come into their own with shellies and dried seed.
If you could only grow one, which would you choose?
For a special treat, the first pickings of young runners take some beating.
But it would be a difficult choice. Apart from anything else, having both is a good insurance policy. Last year our runners weren't very productive, but the climbing French were good. The year before it was the other way round.
I do like Mrs Lewis's purple podded. Seem to be surviving the slugs too.
If I was only to grow one bean it would probably have to be BLue Lake I think... not my favourite green bean (Cobra) and a long way from my favourite shelled bean (there are loads), but it's pretty good green and it does dry to a good cannellini....
I don't grow runners in case they outbreed with my giganda beans, as far as we can tell giganda's are a P.coccineus variety and unlike french beans (P.vulgaris) they don't self-set before flower opening.... Gigandas definitely aren't P.lunatus, the cotyledons don't emerge (they do for both vulgaris and lunatus).... I do grow a lunatus variety, Painted Lima.... there are other bean types too.... I'm pretty sure that my pinto beans aren't any of the above species.... hope the two plants I managed to get to germinate (had problems this year, will solve for next) set seed....
There is huge variety amongst french beans, way more than the runners (even allowing for gigandas), if you took an Egyptian Pea-Bean, a Borlotti, a Soldier Bean, a San Antonio, a Cobra, a Mennonite Stripe and a Cherokee Trail of Tears and laid them side-by side ready to eat you wouldn't really think they were all the same species, though of course telling Box from Egyptian Pea-bean or telling Bridgewater, POlish Climber or Bird Egg from Borlotti is pretty hard unless you get a chance to watch the plants grow and then have a pile from each set of plants in front of you...
This is the first year I am growing runners! I am amazed by their vigour, they are already about 70cm tall. I am unsure how to prepare them but I will give it a go. We don't eat them in Australia.
I too like climbing French, I grow Cobra which are very reliable. I liked a climber called Gold something (Goldmine? Goldfield?) which gives flat yellow beans. very tasty but my saved seeds got eaten by beasties in storage. I also grow yellowwax types, I like their mild flavour and lack of strings. There is lots of variety in beans!
My wife and daughters don't like runners so for the past couple of years I have only grown climbing french beans, however this year I am growing 2 runners just for me :)
I'm not keen on runners either, but they're OK when picked young.
If it is just variety out all possible beans that I would be allowed to grow it would be Cosse Violet. It naver fails to crop and it yields lot of stringless beans that are still tender even when gone bit 'over'.
Even if I don't have room for full row of Cosses every year..I usually manage to put one or two somewhere for few tasty beans...just for ME.. ;D
I think for eating the pods, definitely French beans.
I used to grow runners and I think they can stand poor weather much better, but they're just so stringy and tough compared to French beans.
Can't you eat dried runner beans as well?
I find French freeze better (I've only grown Blue Lake, really) but I wouldn't want to miss that first boiling of runners. Marginally, the climbing French are easier to grow....but I like my runners scarlet flowers, and they are more fun to pick....no, sorry, can't choose. Mangetout versus 'proper' peas, no problem of course....
Can't you eat dried runner beans as well? You mean the seeds?..yes. I eat more runners as dried beans than I do green. They are not for everybody's taste but I like them. I get loads of seeds in the end of summer from my neighbouring allotmenteers as they would otherwise just throw them into compost heap.. ;D..their loss and my gain...FREE food.. ;D
French are easier to grow in this dry part of the country. I definitely don't have enough water stores to give runner beans all the water they need. However i always grow at least one variety. When we get rain just at the right time, the pods are just so sweet and big, better than French beans any day. Unfortunately this happens so rarely here and most of the time we get small, woody runnerbean pods.
Overall, the French beans have it, regretfully .....
Mmmm spot on Melbourne, young runners and a dab of butter, my mouth is watering at the thought. I noticed the first few beans are starting to set, yum yum :)
Good for you Stevens706 ;D
I forget somtimes how generally drier it is in some parts. Runners usually grow well here, I guess its the extra rain we often seem to get here, though a mixed blessing at times :(
Borlotti beans!
http://www.gourmetfoodsource.net/borlotti-beans.htm
This is a hard choice.
I like my Gigandes which are runners so once every so often this is the only runner I grow so grow more French that year.I inteneded to grow a wall of mixed colour runners this year but went for a wall of tall peas instead so French beans are all bush. The Gigandes are growing well though on a rose arbour.
I like my dry beans so I may have to choose.... don't know, can't decide LOL
I have used dried Scarlet runners in chilli. I have about 5 lbs right now and they may end up there.
XX Jeannine
I can't decide which I like best, so I grow both.
June.
I grow a wigwam of runners - that's plenty for us, and I can't grow more than one variety without crossing - and a lot of different French beans. This year I'm growing half a dozen climbers for a crop, and about a dozen more varieties for seed.
I'm doing a mini trial of my own saved seed of painted lady and trail of tears plus some of Roberts Mrs. Fortunes versus the original seed from the suppliers. Admittedly the original seed is old but at the moment my own saved seed 'painted lady' is ahead of the others.
Interestingly my seed is much paler [and bigger] than the original. Most are very behind and struggling to climb with the winds but hopefully a couple of days warm weather will cheer them up before the rain again on Thurs. and once again the slugs and snails take their toll. ::) ::)
I like them [beans not slugs] all dried and young and green but french are probably more convenient. Trail of tears are the one I'd go for if I had to choose.
My Mrs Fortune's was saved last year; I got excellent germination from it, so if you have any problems we probably need to look at how we're handling it.
Quote from: goodlife on June 19, 2012, 15:25:24
Can't you eat dried runner beans as well? You mean the seeds?..yes. I eat more runners as dried beans than I do green. They are not for everybody's taste but I like them. I get loads of seeds in the end of summer from my neighbouring allotmenteers as they would otherwise just throw them into compost heap.. ;D..their loss and my gain...FREE food.. ;D
Just a reminder that runner bean seeds need to be really well cooked or can cause illness.
bean information (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bean)
That's the same for French beans, so they say.
I'm starting to think I ought to give runners another chance going on what everyone says here!
Home grown runners are magic, not tough and stringy at all if you get a decent variety (I like White Lady) - they don't like hanging around so shop bought ones are always inferior. Preparation for eating or freezing easy too, just need chopping into chunks and home ones are lovely and tender, no need for stringing or bean slicers.
I like French too, especially Cobra and Borlotti but runners need defending as they're a brilliant crop in British climate for home growers.
I have to agree runners are magic. I adore the frenchies for diversity of growing types and seeds, the beans are lovely but sliced runners are plain scrumptious ;D
I like Red Rum for an early or late crop in the polytunnel, they seem to set well, not the longest of beans but good and reliable. Plants overwintered last year so I'm growing the year old vines, looking good so far :)
Runners need to be fresh and small - the ones I see in the market are all too old and big - and either eaten fresh or frozen straight away.
I have a wigwam of runners and another of frenchies and I know that I`ll end up freezing too many, after giving some away. I am contemplating growing both in the same wigwam next year and sowing another variety broad bean as well as aquadulce. Anyone else grown two types up the same poles?
Quote from: strawberry1 on June 23, 2012, 18:07:04
Anyone else grown two types up the same poles?
I haven't but if space is tight it sounds like it could be a good compromise :)
I must be a fussy moo as I'm not keen on frozen runners and don't bother to freeze them any more. I just try and extend the croping season for as long as possible. Some of the french beans are ok frozen though, I like the pencil type pod ones best.
Ours are all mixed up, now. They've been getting eaten or battered as quickly as I can put them in and the ones I sowed direct never had a chance. I've re sown today and am keeping them inside until they're a decent size, treating the weather like it's still april ;D
Quote from: Robert_Brenchley on June 20, 2012, 12:39:46
My Mrs Fortune's was saved last year; I got excellent germination from it, so if you have any problems we probably need to look at how we're handling it.
I sowed 6 of everything Robert and dropped one of yours so 5 are climbing and doing as well as can be expected in this flaming June. Will be interested to see how they compare with the others. Certainly they're well ahead of the old seeds so freshness does matter. Would like to post some pics but haven't quite worked out how to do it Regards.
when in uk runners was the thing i grew few types but like lady di , now in usa i cannot grow runners to save my life ( gets too hot in summer to grow them )so i go with climbing french beans m8 send me from uk few years back and there great but love to grow runners as they got that lovely taste to them .