Pole beans

[macmex]

Robert, you have such an extremely different climate than we have here in Oklahoma. I'm trying to nurse some scarlet runner beans along, so that they survive the heat, and maybe produce some seed. Heat and periodic dryness are our struggles.

I suspect that folk in the Appalachians faced at least of some of this, as all the beans I've tried from that region tend to sprout rapidly, grow very vigorously and produce quickly. Some will produce for an extended time, if there is adequate moisture. But all seem to produce quickly. The exception to this is "Black Greasy" which seems reluctant to set pods until late summer. I think it may have come from an elevation with a cooler, wetter climate.

I did a large planting of Cherokee Striped Cornhill, a couple of weeks ago. The garden was drying and we didn't get any rain for a couple weeks. Actually, by the time we did, a couple of days ago, the soil was powdery dry for several inches. Yet this bean practically jumped out of the ground, with no extra watering, and has been growing vigorously.

We have a family heirloom, yellow podded pole bean, called Barksdale, which, on the other hand, tends to struggle with dryness and heat. But wow! Come the cool days of fall, if it made it through the summer, it REALLY produces! (8 X 1 inch flat, stringless, yet completely tender pods). One year, in New Jersey, we had an extremely wet spring and early summer. Some of our beans didn't germinate well, and even languished after germination. Barksdale, on the other hand, germinated better than ever and grew very well. That was the best year we ever had with this variety, as the summer never really got that hot.



George

[grungy]

George, we must simply discuss some serious trading come fall. Please remind me of all these beans. <big silly grin>

[robertb]

I can imagine that my climate is different from yours, George! We do get the odd hot dry summer, but it's always been the exception. The last two have been exceptionally wet.

[michaeljohnson]

I have managed to obtain some wonderful pole beans seeds this year (runner beans) from a private grower, they were originally bred by Tozers of the UK seed house, as an experimental bean, but the beans turned out so long and straight that the company believed they were too long for public interest and did not market them, they are 20 to 25 inches long and a wonderful flavour according to the vendor and very heavy cropping, they are called (Brittania)

But for sheer flavour the very best flavoured bean around is is a very old variety called (Daniel's Defiance) only about 8 to 10 inches long, and broadish across the bean, only available from the UK seed savers Library, I am trying to get some of those for next year.

[macmex]

Those sound really great and I've never even heard of them before!

[grungy]

Uh? Michael, can we discuss some beans come fall?

[Penny]

Those look great Macmex, so far so good with the beans that i have planted too,.

[michaeljohnson]

Hopefully I shall have a supply of bean seeds from the ones mentioned to supply several of you-I hope, at the moment they are growing really well.

As a matter of interest-I can't understand why so many of you strive to get poles for them to climb up-twelve foot and more in length, from my experience if you let them climb up eight foot poles and then let them double back downwards and hang down and intertwine, you get a massive growth and bean harvest smothered in beans every single time-like on a three foot thick hedge of beans eight foot tall.

[grungy]

Just for looks, Michael, also the way we do it make for an easy clean up come fall. Clip the vines at the bottom, after picking as high as we can, and the tip the pole over, pick the rest and the slip the vines off the string, and off to the compost bin they go.

[flowerpower]

So the Barksdale likes it damp & cool? It would be very happy here in upstate NY. Please save me a few seeds for next yr? Thanks

[macmex]

Flowerpower, I sent you a PM. Sorry I overlooked your post until today!

[mnjrutherford]

That's an interesting way of doing it Val. Last year was our very first REAL go at pole beans and we grew Rattlesnakes. Dipped in tempura batter then flash fried I swear they were the greatest thing on the planet! But somebody really REALLY should have told us that a family of 4 had no business growing 11 35' of the things!?!? We picked 10 lbs in the morning, then 10 lbs in the evening. Even then we didn't get even close to getting them all! We took the neighbors advice about trellising and put up poles with 3 rows of wire across then a lattice of tobacco twine up and down in an X pattern. The rows were 3' apart and the beans did indeed make an almost impenetrable hedge. It was the coolest spot on our property. They were tall and grew across the rows making a dense green shade that was just delicious. No wonder we were all so willing to spend so much time picking them. =o)

[Penny]

So the Rattlesnake beans are good then huh, i have some growing and its my first time with them

[mnjrutherford]

Oh yea, the rattlesnakes are very good beans! I put them in the freezer as well they store very well that way. Nothing is as good as fresh I'm afraid, but having a few quarts for holiday meal, soups, and what have you is pretty handy. I tell you what I would change from last year though. After a 3 minute blanch in batches small enough to not stop the water from boiling, I would plunge into VERY icy water then lay out on a towel to get the most of the water off. Then I would lay them out on a cookie sheet in a single layer and freeze them. After they were frozen I would store them in a large bag or even a container of some sort. That way, I could just pull out the desired quantity for each use.

Oh, if you go for the dipping sauce we use, it's just a standard Korean style panchan dipping sauce. I'll give you the list if you need it.

[grungy]

Jo,
a) did you save rattlesnake bean seeds to plant
b) good idea for freezing them and
c) a list would be good.