Allotments 4 All

I have runners setting, but they are only small, but my frenchies are more than making up for things on the dinner plate bean front....however...I sowed another 18 runner 'butler' last Monday to fill in some gaps where the slugs had been having a munch.  Am hoping for a late harvest or 10!

Up the lottie yesterday and wey-hey!!!!!!!!!   About 20 nice big French beans - I hadn't realised they would start so close to the ground so hadn't spotted them before.  Now I do know I have lots more coming through.   Beans for tea tonight  ;D

One runner bean last week, 2 for tea yesterday, and... wait for it... a chance of 4 (or 5 even!!)  in a couple of days!

Really cross when daughter brought in 2lb French today - totally unskilled, late in - when there is nothing on my Runners.

Commiserations Tim on your dearth of beans.  Same here too but I do have some fancy purple lettuce growing around the bottom of the bean teepee so some could be hiding in there.  Will go and have a rummage around  :)  I think I might sow some more French beans.  Hope it's not too late.  I've been watering my lotty mate's plot today and I notice he has just put in some very small dwarf french beans "Sonata" and has a row ready now.  Shame he's away as I will have to eat them myself.  Just slightly cooked and splashed with vinaigrette will do  :)

My runners have been amazing this year!  8) The plants are swarming with beans about 3" long! Mind you we haven't had a hosepipe ban yet (at leart not that I know of)!!   :-X Don't really know what i've done but i grew them from seed this year instead of cadging some off my neighbour!  ::)  and i water, water, water every day without fail  (sorry to those who have a ban though  :( )

Why don't I listen to my own teachings??

I always say that the Runners come in on 25 July. They looked so bashed this year that I didn't even look. But Wife went down today and .........................!!

Very nice beans Tim.  Mine are only about 4 inches at best so far.  Out of interest though what sort of size should I start picking them to avoid them getting stringy?

Pick 'em young, before you can see the bean shape through the bean...so to speak! 

Yippee! I reaped a crop but only like the bunch on the right of Tim's photo :( ;D and about the same again with french beans, but I'm happy, as I'm still in my early days. ;D or should that be Daze ;D

Went over to the allotment today and picked about 10 pounds of beans varying in size from 6 inches(no real beans forming) to an unbelievable 15 inches. We only picked a carrier bag full on Tuesday. Will try and get a photo of the beans my wife cut up today. Will post it later.(if successful)
I think the variety is scarlet emperor. We already have 5 large bags cut and blanched in the freezer.
Trying to pass some of on my work colleague's  ;D
DD
Not bad for our first year.
sorry about quality of photo, no flash. All bagged up ready for children to take away tomorrow.

Icy - or buy 'stringless' varieties? I usually do.

PS My ones on the right are climbing French Hunter type - not Runners of course.

Not being a big fan of stringy beans I only planned to grow French beans but lost a load when I planted them out to early.  As a result a kind neighbour gave me the runners and so I have no idea what variety they are at all!   

Now knowing that I can get stringless ones I will have to give them a try for myself next year.   Out of interest are "yard long beans" just big runners?

Iain

NO!!

Here you go, taken from http://www.webindia123.com/garden/vegie/longbeans.htm



YARD LONG BEANS

Scientific Name - Vigna sesquipedalis
Family - Fabaceae
Colour - Light green to red
Common names - Yard long bean, long bean, Chinese long bean, snake bean, pea bean
Best Season - Throughout the year
Nutritional Value - 34 kcal, 4.2 g protein, 110 mg calcium, 4.7 mg iron, 2.4 mg vitamin A, 35 mg vitamin C per 100 g serving.
 


Native to Southeast Asia, this climbing plant is a close relative of the cowpea or black-eye pea. It comes in different varieties from the more common pale green pod variety, to the more slender darker green one, to a deep brownish red variety. These beans are rich in vitamin A and contain a fair amount of vitamin C.

It is an annual long trailing vine usually grown on poles for support and often reach heights of 9-12 feet. The plant has large pale pink to violet-blue flowers. The pods will grow up to 12 to 30 inches long, depending on the variety, with each pod containing several edible seeds. This plant continues to grow after flowering and fruiting.

Propagation and Planting :

Long Beans are mainly a warm-season crop and will survive extreme humidity and heat. It can be planted in a wide range of climatic conditions but is very sensitive to cold temperatures.

Propagation is through direct seeding or transplanting. They prefer a light, well-drained soil with a pH of 5.5 to 6.8, enriched with organic matter, such as compost or dried manure.

Plant the seeds 1-2 inches deep in warm soil. Germination will take place within 6 to 10 days. Soak the seeds in water before sowing, for better germination. Transplants should be done in such a way as to avoid disturbance to the root system. The plants should be placed 2 to 3 feet in rows and the distance between rows should be 4 to 6 feet apart on raised beds or ridges. Dwarf growing forms can be planted much more densely. Place poles and give wire or twine supports in rows. Extra fertilization is not essential as long as you have enriched the soil before planting. But the plant needs heavy watering at regular intervals.

Flowering will occur 5 weeks after sowing. Fruits will grow from open flower to suitable length in about 10-12 days. Pick the pods at the tender stage at maximum length, before the seeds mature or swell. Yard long beans may grow up to 24inch long, but it is better to pick them at 12 to 18 inches.

While picking, cut the pods with a sharp knife to minimize plant damage, thus maximizing harvest. Leave the pods to reach full maturity, allowing them to dry on plant, if the pods have to be reserved for seeds. The pods will break open and the seeds can be collected.

Problems and Care :

The plants are susceptible to black bean aphids, spider mites, nematodes, and mosaic viruses. Aphids, particularly the black bean aphid are drawn to the pods of this plant. Bean fly is the main pest causing small yellow spots on the leaves. They can be treated by spraying dimethoate. Red spider mite produce a speckled silvery appearance on leaves and can be treated by spraying dicofol. 

I did not plant enough french beans and am only getting a handful at a time and my runners are all still very small.  I am getting very very impatient.

Thanks for that EJ.    Not sure I'm ready for trying something that exotic!  Iain

My (first time) runners have tiny beans forming but the climbing french beans are really starting to take off now, had a couple of meals already but the real flush of daily picking of the 90 plants will be soon.

I don't blanch them anymore. Last year I did a trial and found no difference in the quality after freezing, even after months. There is a difference when you use them, the blanched ones, even when dried, tend to clump together making them cook unevenly while the ones frozen straight off the plant stay seperate. I don't even wash them, just heads and tails off and snapped in half, any soil on the lower ones gets brushed off. No more dealing with pots of boiling water after coming home, hot and sweaty, from the lottie.

Thanks for the info Ina, a couple of seasoned allotmenteers at the allotment were in the same debate, to blanch or not. Will try a few bags not blanched for comparison.
A young lad at work was eating them raw from my carrier bag today. Mad youngsters!!! Said they were very nice and could I bring him in some on Monday.

Tis that old law of the Sod again, but the beans on my bean poles are slow to say the least, but getting there......the french beans that were stuck in where ever there was room at the time have gone mad and we are eating dwarf purple queen frenchies almost as often as courgettes!  And the 'spare' runners I had when I thought I had planted enough on my proper poles, were bunged in on the squash bed to do as they pleased up the squash climbing frame.....well, they have gone mad, smothered in flowers and bees and masses of baby beans!  I seem to do better when I mollycoddle less!