I lima believe it!

[SarrissUK]

I bought some huge lima beans in Sweden - dried, in a bag from the supermarket. I bought them because I wanted to plant them and see what they do, if anything. And if nothing, I've got lima beans to eat lol

I threw a handful of these into water in a plastic tub and left them on the windowsill, and I was really quite disappointed that they just turned into mush. I tipped them out to the chickens. I was going to just make a bean stew with them, or refried beans...

But then I was sowing stuff last week, and I figured that if one method fails, try another! I put three pots in amongst my other seedlings and pushed three beans into each pot. And colour me crazy - they've come up today!! I can't believe it!

[Trouvere]

It's strange that our UK seed companies seem to so far have ignored lima beans. All the websites say they grow best between 70 and 80 Fahrenheit, which would be easy to achieve under cover, even with the need for a long season to maturity. Yet they're almost impossible to find, while we have scores of French bean varieties readily available (and even quite a few okra, which need even higher temperatures). And limas have such cool names, too: Alabama Blackeyed, Dixie Speckled Butterpea, Giant Calico, Hopi Yellow, Snow on the Mountain, Worchester Indian.

[burnie]

I love butter beans, but I know of a few gardeners who tried to grow them in the past in southern England and didn't get a crop.

[SarrissUK]

I love butter beans, but I know of a few gardeners who tried to grow them in the past in southern England and didn't get a crop.

I know I'm pushing it, especially as the really huge lima beans need a longer growing period and warmer temperatures. I'm trying to source a polytunnel lol I'm hoping that the fact that they're pushing up through the compost is a good sign and that they want to grow and set seed

Trouvere, they sound so enticing don't they? I also happen to love to eat them!

[Scarlet]

So what are you going to do with those for the next 14 weeks or so before you can plant them out?.....

[SarrissUK]

Watching them worryingly as they grow LOL It was a test to see if they'd even germinate, cause I really didn't think they would! I still have a huge bag of them, so I will sow more later in the spring

[kitty12345]

Are they like canellini beans like the ones that go in a minestrone soup? There are so many types of beans that I get confused.

Interestingly I sowed giant gigantes beans that turned mushy too. After it happened a few times I emailed Real Seeds and they said no need to soak beans before sowing. But the giant ones were the only ones that turned mushy. Smaller beans that I had soaked didn't. Still a mystery

[Scarlet]

I've also read you mustn't soak the larger beans as they will turn to mush....but I never soak any seed. Pre chitting on damp kitchen towel works fine if you don't have a lot of room. I can't sow any beans/peas in the GH due to mice problems.

[mcdood]

I love butter beans,

I grew runner bean Enorma last year, I wasn't keen on the pods so let them go to beans. A long time since I've eaten butter beans but I think these runners although looked like kidney beans tasted more like what I remember butter beans to be like.

[SarrissUK]

Are they like canellini beans like the ones that go in a minestrone soup? There are so many types of beans that I get confused.

Yes, I'd describe them as huge butter beans with a slight kidney shape to them. And maybe a little flatter.

[muckdiva]

Curious...how did your Lima beans fare this season? I bought a pack for next year from Permier Seeds purely because they were so pretty

[SarrissUK]

They didn't really are at all, but that was my fault entirely! I had SO much going on during the spring with job interviews and swapping jobs that I didn't manage to get the beans planted out in time and they got root bound. I didn't have the space for them in the greenhouse either, and those that got planted late outside, didn't produce a crop.
I will have a poly tunnel next year though, AND an additional greenhouse, and I have big plans to create a hotbed with fresh horse manure in the early spring to start things off early without having to take up every window space I have in the house lol
I reckon with better timings, I can get a crop next year. They're certainly eager enough

[muckdiva]

They didn't really are at all, but that was my fault entirely! I had SO much going on during the spring with job interviews and swapping jobs that I didn't manage to get the beans planted out in time and they got root bound. I didn't have the space for them in the greenhouse either, and those that got planted late outside, didn't produce a crop.
I will have a poly tunnel next year though, AND an additional greenhouse, and I have big plans to create a hotbed with fresh horse manure in the early spring to start things off early without having to take up every window space I have in the house lol
I reckon with better timings, I can get a crop next year. They're certainly eager enough

My pack says ‘grow as runner beans’ and I don’t have a poly so they’ll have to take their chances outdoors, but would be interesting to check in on results next season

[ameno]

My pack says ‘grow as runner beans’ and I don’t have a poly so they’ll have to take their chances outdoors, but would be interesting to check in on results next season

If they're true lima beans then they won't produce a good crop outside in this country in any but the hottest summers.
However, there are a couple types of runner bean which look a lot like lima beans, are grown for dried beans in the same way, and are thus often sold as lima beans. These should be fine outside.
Try to check the actual species of yours, if you can. Runner beans are Phaseolus coccineus. The lima or butter bean (they're the same thing) are Phaseolus lunatus.