Growing beans for the beans rather than the pod

[SarrissUK]

I've been thinking about wanting to grow my own beans, the larger the better really.

The reason is that I love a good Mexican ensemble, and refried beans is absolutely on the top of that list. I make my own from tinned beans such as butter, kidney, pinto... but I'd quite like to grow my own! I already plan to grow my own salsa, so peppers, tomato, chilli and onion is definitely being grown next year.

Do you grow beans for the beans? Which types do you prefer and why? If I want to grow enough to give me the equivalent of 30 tins, roughly how many plants do you think I will need?

So many questions, but so much refried beans in this house!

My recipe for refried beans:
Two tins of beans, whichever type you prefer (I prefer butter and kidney mix)
One onion - shallow fry until completely soft, but not with too much colour
Mix in the drained beans (don't rinse them though)
Mix in one sachet of taco or fajita mix (or a mixture of the spice mix below)
Two cloves of garlic, crushed or chopped
Chopped chilli to taste (I don't add any, because I'm a wuss)
Dash of water, then stir.

Let it all cook slowly for five minutes, then squash it with a potato masher.

If I make the beans to use a dip, I mix in a jar of salsa at this point.

Fajita spice mix:
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

[Guest]

Here are a couple of threads that should help
https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...ans_26962.html
https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...ies_87168.html

[Thelma Sanders]

If I want to grow enough to give me the equivalent of 30 tins, roughly how many plants do you think I will need?

Next time you open a tin of beans, count how many beans are inside, to start working it out

[jackarmy]

I was watching a charles dowding vid the other day and he was saying that the runner bean "czar" is as tasty as butterbean, its on my list for next year as well as shedfulls of borloti ( to die for)

czar at realseeds in case interested.

http://www.realseeds.co.uk/runnerbeans.html

[SarrissUK]

Oooh excellent - thank you all! I'd never even thought to grow anything for the beans, but once I realised and was trawling seed catalogues I found nothing other than borlottis. I will definitely grow them, and check those threads for inspiration Thank you again!

[veggiechicken]

Another beans for drying thread https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...ase_87525.html

[Mark_Riga]

The amount you would need to grow would depend on the yield. I got 1.8kg from a 28' row of dwarf beans this year. Probably about 60 plants in a zig-zag row about 4" wide. No idea of the variety but was from a bag I bought in a french supermarket a few years ago. If the plants are grown too close they suffer from mould but this year, with all the dry weather they did ok. The drought affected the yield somewhat.
I would say that what I got was at the lower end of what might be expected. You could buy a pack of dried beans and see how many you need for a tin (may be 100g to 150g but only a guess). and then you could work out what weight of beans you would need to grow. I find that dwarf beans ripen earlier and are easier to support than climbing but the yield of climbing beans in greater. Soissons always did well for me but the Organic Catalog appears out of them at the moment. If you like the beans you buy, you could try sowing a few and see how they do.

[Jay-ell]

I prefer to grow for the bean rather than the pod.

As well as Czar there is Gigantes - a large white beaned runner bred for bean rather than pod.

I like borlotta and Scarlet emperor as dried beans, nutty and buttery at the same time. Blue Lake and Cobra produce smaller but just as tasty beans - the former white, the latter black.

Dwarf French beans aren't as productive but can be bunged into gaps that you can't jam a teepee. Canadian Wonder is a kidney bean type dwarf. Ying Yang are the black and white beans that look like a certain oriental symbol.

I wouldn't really bother with dwarf runners again.

Those are the ones I've settled on.

[Thelma Sanders]

I think it's shown on one of the other bean threads but I like to grow Spagno Bianco shelling beans. They make superb Greek style oven baked beans

https://www.dtbrownseeds.co.uk/Peas-...nco-Seeds.html

[Mr Bones]

Beans we grow for the bean not the pod are borlotti, blue lake and a white runner (don't know the variety). Usually grow 24 plants of each variety and each sort yields between 1 and 2 litres once dried.

[Guest]

Don't forget the VSP . There used to be a lot more but they were........forgotten

I am happy to take pics etc. if it will get people growing them

Veitch's is a decent cropping climber for kidney beans.

[Martin H]

I grow The Czar every year, the pods are excellent and tasty. I tried the dried beans once, they were fine but I prefer the fresh pods. Maybe I'm cooking them wrong (fast boil to remove any toxins, drain then boil to cook, eat with butter, salt and pepper). Anyone got a good serving suggestion?

[4Shoes]

Good thread. Planning my legume beds for next year... Along with where to put a (semi) permanent climbing bean frame that will not blow over.

Found that the seed offers have lead to duplicate dwarf bean purchases , so have got the broad bean and French beans well covered. so keenly following any suggestions for the climbers

[burnie]

I usually grow just broad and French beans, might have a go at some of these, butterbeans are my favourite(though not keen on having them with someone's liver and a Chianti).

[Guest]

Oh, just remembered if you are just browsing for pretty beans then this site is great https://www.abeancollectorswindow.com/

If you get hooked don't forget the pea and bean circles as well.


Don't forget your lima beans (in amongst your white haricots, barlottis, kidney and greek type beans)