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Post by robertb on Apr 15, 2010 13:53:01 GMT -5
I don't know whether this is the proper name, they're a big butter bean type from southern Europe. I tried growing them once before, and fell flat on my face; I don't think I kept them warm enough at the germination stage. I'm trying again this year, so has anyone grown them?
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Post by raymondo on Apr 15, 2010 15:40:11 GMT -5
Do you mean lima bean? Butter bean here gets used for both limas and yellow podded common beans. It's confusing. I struggle with limas here because of the short season. I have a large seeded common bean, 'Macedonian White', that is flat and large enough so that many folks think it's a lima.
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Post by Hristo on Apr 21, 2010 10:39:45 GMT -5
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Post by raymondo on Apr 22, 2010 4:22:00 GMT -5
Hmmm ... for the life of me I cannot remember whether it was epigeal or hypogeal. Now I am curious so I'll sow a few seeds to check.
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Post by robertb on Apr 22, 2010 13:10:15 GMT -5
Any advice on growing them, Hristo? I'm assuming they need a soak before planting, then reasonably warm conditions.
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Post by Hristo on Apr 22, 2010 20:37:13 GMT -5
If your soil is dry - soak them, otherwise - do not. I have not experimented what temps they need to germinate compared to vulgaris but I'm sure 18+ C will do the job. Also you can pre-sprout them, that way you will at least know how viable they are. The Bianco di Spagna (I would not be surprised if this is (nearly) same as Gigantes) starts flowering quite early, but at that stage there is no sets. I read that coccineus dislikes heat, probably this is the reason for bad early (mid summer) set here. Because of my very unbalanced soil most vulgaris varieties perform very poorly for me, but coccineus performs very well.
Edit: Prepare some long poles.
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Post by robertb on Apr 23, 2010 4:33:36 GMT -5
Thanks. I have eight-foot poles; hopefully that will be long enough.
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Post by grunt on Apr 23, 2010 23:19:02 GMT -5
robert: Twelve foot would be better, but eight foot will do. The plants will just droop down a bit, and re-climb themselves.
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Post by robertb on Apr 24, 2010 3:18:25 GMT -5
Twelve foot would catch the wind something awful. I can get away with eight because the hedges provide shelter low down.
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Post by raymondo on May 2, 2010 7:22:55 GMT -5
Hristo, the 'Macedonian White' seeds popped up today with cotyledons clearly displayed above ground (epigeal) so I guess it must be Phaseolus vulgaris.
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Post by Hristo on May 14, 2010 3:18:09 GMT -5
I do not know if this clearly proves that it's vulgaris, but at least you know it's not coccineus (i.e. it's not the Gigantes from near-by Greece).
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Post by robertb on May 14, 2010 5:39:12 GMT -5
Mine are leaving the cotyledons underground, and I'm told it's a runner bean (ie coccineus) though it doesn't look like it. I think mine were originally Greek, though they've passed through several hands since.
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