Runner Beans - Saving Seeds

[veg4681]

As frost threat is upon us at this time of year (at least where I live), I'd like to salvage some seeds. I have only 2 plants and have purposely left few pods to grow bigger. Anyway I picked a few big pods to inspect the seeds and they don't look like the colour I was expecting, not purple or mauve seeds with black blotches but white seed with only a smidge of dark smear.

The problem is I don't even know what my runner bean variety is as I bought the seedlings from a church spring sale. The flowers are white and red, definitely not stringless beans and runners are neither black or red type, it's green but they call them white I gather. It's difficult to identify the variety but my main concern is, does it matter?

I read that runner bean cross pollinate and I have seen few runner beans growing in my neighbours' garden within 100 metres from ours (their flowers are red and white like mine). Even if they've cross pollinated and that I have 'mongrel seeds', could they possibly be inferior seeds? Keeping true to type is not significant for me so long as the plant is sturdy, very reliable with decent cropping.

[Janco]

I always save some pea and bean seeds and seem to get better germination from my own seed than I do from bought seed. The resulting plants are always as good if not better than those from bought seeds.

[skegblade]

They should be fine to save and sow next year veg4681. Ours were cross pollinated last year and we ended up with black seeds. We sowed them this year and found no difference with cropping.

Phil

[rustylady]

If your plants were good and produced good crops, then save the seed. If not, don't bother - buy new seed next year.

[veg4681]

Thank you Janco & Skegblade for your reassuring replies on your experience. You're right Rustylady, it makes very good sense not to save the seeds if however the plants are underperforming.