New - Fresh & Dried Bean Varieties

[veggiechicken]

Not me, Scarlet. I may have sent you "Buckles Black" which is a local to Cardiff variety that I can't find any information about!

EDIT Found it!! https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...ml#post1340627

[Scarlet]

Ryders Blue Coco - CFB

Another of the purple podded beans with a pale plain beige seed. They can be used as both fresh and dried beans with the pods change from purple to green on boiling.
They are usually a very strong, prolific plant but this year they haven't done so well for me....unfortunately I've had some rat issues tunneling underneath which also killed a few sunflowers

Long meaty pods containing an average of 8 beans and I often "slice" them as you would a runner. Not stringy. I would choose these over any runner bean.
Not quite dry yet....

[Guest]

Another vote here for Ryders Blue Coco. My favorite out of the purple podded climbers.

[Scarlet]

Not me, Scarlet. I may have sent you "Buckles Black" which is a local to Cardiff variety that I can't find any information about!

EDIT Found it!! https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...ml#post1340627

Haha! I just checked too...I also got some black ones from someone who bred them in Wales...they also produced non black seeds.
Black Night I got from a seedy Sunday swap in Bradford-on-Avon several years ago. The only one I've grown that consistently always produce only black seeds.

[Scarlet]

Trout - CFB

An absolutely beautiful looking bean, markings just like a trout ....though I've only grown this once! Not even sure I have any more viable seed.
Mostly used for drying.

[veggiechicken]

Haha! I just checked too...I also got some black ones from someone who bred them in Wales...they also produced non black seeds..

That would be Aeron Purple Star
https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...ans_87413.html

The Vine search engine is amazing!

[Guest]

An absolutely beautiful looking bean, markings just like a trout ....though I've only grown this once! Not even sure I have any more viable seed.
Mostly used for drying.
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I received this bean last year. Trout bean (or Forellenbohnen). A climbing bean, vigorous and prolific; very good as a dried or shelled bean. Originally from Beans and Herbs. Apparently a newish Austrian variety, also appearing as Cranberry Lilac, Forellenbohnen (Trout bean), Forelle fliederfarben (Lilac trout) or Cranberry Flieder. So quite some confusion over name (That was the desciption for mine)

Trout Bean is often used when referring to jacobs cattle bean just so peeps are warned. These poxy crossover names

[Scarlet]

Yep, That's the supplier I use as they are based in Wiltshire.
They are also at my local "seedy Sunday"

*they don't always offer the whole list of seed.

[mcdood]

Relating to purple climbers, I've grown two this year (Blauhilde and Cosse De Violette) and found them both to go stringy when still quite small whereas the wonderful Blue Lake still seems stringless when quite large. I think my my stringiness tolerance is very low, sounds like I need to try Ryders Blue Coco.
I found Beans and Herbs online a while back and they do look to have good stock of beans in the Heirloom section so may give them a go, or alternatively tap up a couple on here .
How come the Beans VSP/Seed Circle has little traffic with all these wonderful beans around?

[Guest]

How come the Beans VSP/Seed Circle has little traffic with all these wonderful beans around?

Good question. I think the peas are just as fab with the hardy wrinkled peas, starchy soup peas, tall peas, short peas, snaps, mangetout, yellow green red and purple pods, then the ornamental plants of crown peas.

I think there are a few of us that go a bit silly with bean seed but several have disappeared (grapes have disappeared) in my time on here

[muckdiva]

I think there are a few of us that go a bit silly with bean seed but several have disappeared (grapes have disappeared) in my time on here

Guilty on both counts

I’d be up for contributing to a pea and bean circle next year... this year my offerings might be a bit boring.

[Scarlet]

How come the Beans VSP/Seed Circle has little traffic with all these wonderful beans around?

m
A couple of reasons I think.
The forum has lost many members over the years.
Lack of photos on here due to the technical "mishap"....you're not inspired by just the name.
People at the beginning of the season think they will save loads....in reality by the end of the season they've had enough.
In a bean circle - you need about 10-12 seeds per person. That can mount up. Especially when drying them isn't always successful in a short season etc.
They also cost a lot to post. They are quite heavy and are thicker than 5mm. Especially if you need to send in excess of a dozen bags.
Most people stick to the same beans so there's little variation year on year.
If you don't grow some canes especially for saving and pick the early ones often there's not enough time to dry the later ones enough for saving.

Beans do go stringy - you have to pick every day. Picking very small. The weather also has an effect.

[veggiechicken]

^^^ There's also the problem of keeping beans from crossing with other plants nearby.

Peas and French beans aren't too bad but Runner beans and Broad beans are promiscuous. Real Seeds recommend keeping them away from other varieties by half a mile!
More advice at https://www.realseeds.co.uk/seedsavinginfo.html