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Post by ottawagardener on Mar 29, 2009 12:18:10 GMT -5
I was flipping through the crazy number of gardening blogs that I try to read and someone was blogging about French Forcing Beans: basement grown and harvesting. upnorthbynorthwest.wordpress.com/Just thought I'd bring this to the attention of those who had not heard of them before (like myself). Yes, I've added them to my wish list. |
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Post by bunkie on Mar 29, 2009 20:45:21 GMT -5
i have been following that blog too and the 'forcing beans' idea telsing. i find it absolutely fascinating, and am going to have to try it also!
i muts admit that every spring i get anxious and start bean seeds in pots indoors in February and put them in the greenhouse and keep them covered at night. i have gotten some produce, but not a lot, but it was always fun!
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deborah
gopher
weathering winter & garden dreaming
Posts: 21
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Post by deborah on Mar 30, 2009 12:09:02 GMT -5
Hello Ottawa Gardener and bunkie---
Thanks so much for visiting my blog. I'm actually trialing these French Forcing varieties (and many others) for Dave at American Gardener, and report in that space from time to time. Forcing beans has been a fun and very educational (and delicious) experiment. I hope you'll give it a try!
Do either of you know if I would proceed differently with seed saving because the plants are indoors? I definitely want to save the variety simply called "French Forcing". The other one, "Triomphe de Farcy" is widely available.
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Post by ottawagardener on Mar 30, 2009 12:34:53 GMT -5
Thanks for writing your blog  I've never thought of saving seed from a legume inside so I don't know though my kids were playing with some seeds and stuck a purple podded pea in a bottle of water and left it there. When I saw that it had roots and was going to toss it out, they looked at me with pleading eyes so I potted it up with an overwintering pepper plant. It flowered, fruited and set seed with just window winter sunlight. I have seen the Triomphe de Farcy at a Quebec seed house so I think I'll have to pick some up for fun next year. Telsing. |
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Post by bunkie on Mar 31, 2009 9:14:03 GMT -5
glad to see you posting here deborah! i really am enjoying your blog and pics!
i don't know about seed saving, but, i would think you would save like any other seed. what will happen, once again in my opinion, is these seeds coming from an indoor plant will probably have good traits to grow as indoor plants. i.e. every planting and saving will create better seeds for indoor use.
i have not seen the French Forcing variety deborah, but would be interested in trading some seed later this year and trying to force them like you have done next winter.
telsing, i have only see the Triomphe de Farcy seed in Baker Creek, i think. what fun, huh???! ;D
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Post by ottawagardener on Mar 31, 2009 9:16:28 GMT -5
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Post by bunkie on Mar 31, 2009 9:26:14 GMT -5
and just think about eating fresh green beans in the middle of winter, oh my!!! ;D
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deborah
gopher
weathering winter & garden dreaming
Posts: 21
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Post by deborah on Mar 31, 2009 14:02:59 GMT -5
Telsing and bunkie:
I will do my best to save as many of the French Forcing seeds as possible. I'm relatively new to seed-saving (at least for vegies) and I'm nervous about it. I just don't see how the pods will dry satisfactorily indoors. But why wouldn't they? I guess we'll see! Yet another stage of the experiment.
I'd be most happy to trade with you both when I have a few extra. I'm thinking of keeping a couple of plants going under lights at all times, just to produce seed. But I only had 12 seeds from Dave, and I planted them all. Here's my question. If I do manage to successfully save these seeds, how soon can I turn around and plant them again?
Sure wish I were more of an expert. I'm so thankful to have found a couple of much more knowledgeable compadres. Any advice at all is most welcome.
deborah
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Post by americangardener on Mar 31, 2009 14:59:11 GMT -5
I'm thinking of keeping a couple of plants going under lights at all times, just to produce seed. But I only had 12 seeds from Dave, and I planted them all. Here's my question. If I do manage to successfully save these seeds, how soon can I turn around and plant them again? deborah How soon do you want to plant them again? Heck you can just leave beans outside to dry and they'll sprout right in the pods if it rains on em. I would say you can plant them anytime you want. Yah.. i know i didn't send many of that one. Any consolation sometimes that's all i grow in my garden when trial em is ten to 20 seeds. Just enough to see what they're like and to take a picture or two. I usually get about a hundred seeds back for every one that germinates on most bush beans. So, hopefully you can get enough of an increase off just a couple plants to send some to everyone else and still do a larger planting yourself next time. |
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deborah
gopher
weathering winter & garden dreaming
Posts: 21
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Post by deborah on Mar 31, 2009 15:42:19 GMT -5
Oh dear, Dave. No apology necessary. I wasn't complaining about getting only 12 seeds of each bean variety. I was just explaining why I had to wait to save some to get some more going. Thanks for the info on turn around time. I wasn't sure if they needed a period of time to fortify themselves before getting back to business.  |
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Post by ottawagardener on Apr 6, 2009 14:13:15 GMT -5
No rush for me. I'm swimming in seeds but once I get through trialing and trying this batch then I'll be waiting patiently for whenever they are available.
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Post by bunkie on Aug 9, 2010 8:53:16 GMT -5
telsing, did you ever get any french forcing beans from deborah? i was thinking of PMing her.
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and blogging at 