Allotments 4 All

Hi,

can you recommend the best varieties of beans for drying- haricot, borlotti, peanbean etc, ordinary or heritage (so long as I can get them). Any good unusual varieties of broad bean out there?

Also, is the Seeds of Italy -FAGIOLO DI SPAGNA BUTTERBEAN really a butterbean (and probably won't succeed), or something else? Are they new on the web by the way?

Cheers

Hi RT, borlotti beans have it all IMO :)
but you have to be devoted - yield was 500g m² this year for dwarf borlotti
I grew pole bean Fagiolo di Spagna this year, alongside Gigantes (large white Greek butter beans from Greek supermarket). They were indistinguishable and both fabulous - you won't be disappointed if you grow them, they are FAT - and still ripening, I'll get them in earlier next year ;D

love your avatar btw thrasher ;)

thanks,

I don't want to appear stupid, but what's an avatar? -avatar? no thanks, i'm trying to give them up...........

what's the difference between dwarf and climbing borlottis? apart from the obvious. Do you get much more beans with the pole variety? Otherwise are they the same beans? I much prefer them to haricot, more meaty

With all climbing beans you should get a higher yield.... Dwarfs were developed for machine picking and to reduce costs (support).
;D

lol thrasher the avatar is that great picture of crossed rubub under your name :)
dad is right, climbing beans give you more bean per m²
better for late cropping too, cos they dangle above slug level :D

Thanks,
sorry for the ignorance supersprout. I've only just found out a Smiley is called an emoticon. Thought avatar meant ancestor, but now see it means Incarnation