Butterpea / Lima beans anyone ?

[momol]

Grapes,

Has anyone grown Butterpea/ Lima beans ? I am thinking of getting some seeds but was not very sure about it (I can't buy it for taste test).
Could you advice about the taste and it's growing habit ?

Many thanks in advance.

[smallblueplanet]

I'm here to pretend I'm an experienced grape with lots of advice to give!

Never grown lima beans (aka butter beans here?), but once had a pkt of the bush lima bean that I never grew.

Sorry!

[momol]

Oh dear, but at least you give me some moral support .

I actually ate it before when we were in the state and liked it. Taste really like immature broad beans (with nice sweet taste and pleasant texture) but the size was bigger than young broad beans ( I hope my memory don't play trick on me as it was 3.5 years ago)
Oh any butterpea/Lima beans expert here ? helppppp ...

[moggssue]

Sorry, definitely not an expert and have no experience, but thought I'd add my morale support too!! I love broad beans so these beans sound great - if you try to grow them do come back and report on success (or otherwise I guess).

[momol]

Sorry, definitely not an expert and have no experience, but thought I'd add my morale support too!! I love broad beans so these beans sound great - if you try to grow them do come back and report on success (or otherwise I guess).

Thanks Sue, still contemplating about getting it, will deffo report the result if I finally grow any .

[smallblueplanet]

These look good - I quite fancy getting some....

King of the Garden Pole Lima Bean

Oh and we know them in the UK as Butter Beans.

[momol]

I am thinking of getting some Henderson bush lima beans but still not sure, really desperately need advice .

[smallblueplanet]

I always find 'short'/bush beans a bit of a waste of space, unless say, like extra-fine french beans they're 'sort of' a different variety. So when the company I linked to start selling on ebay I think I'll get some of the climbers/pole lima beans.

Whats to be advised on momol?

[chrissie the chippy]

oooh I love butter beans! So nice in a casserole! Was hoping I could grow them, and I'd grow a lot of them!!!

Does anyone know where to buy them from? And can they be dried to store them for over winter?

Willing to give them a try!

[chrissie the chippy]

ok, just looked at the link , one of the best for using dried

I'll be having a good row of those me thinks!

[SarzWix]

I was under the impression that they needed a longer growing season than we can give them here? Think they might do better under cover ? I may be wrong, just have the idea I've read it somewhere...

Here you go; Phaseolus lunatus - Plants For A Future database report

[smallblueplanet]

I've never tried them either Sarzwix but that was my impression about them too - but it can't hurt to try them, one wigwam worth.

I don't think we Brits grow many varieties of beans it seems when you see other countries lists of beans to grow? Is it all down to climate?

From the above link:

Cultivation details

Requires a well-drained moderately fertile soil in a sunny position. Plants are prone to drop their flowers when grown in nitrogen-rich soils. The Lima bean is commonly cultivated for its edible seed and seedpods in tropical and warm temperate areas of the world, there are many named varieties.

The plants are very frost tender and are even less tolerant of wet and cold than the runner bean. There are bush and climbing forms, the climbers are more productive but bush forms come into bearing more quickly and are probably more suitable for cooler gardens.

Plants mature in 12 - 16 weeks from seed in warm climates but the growing season in Britain is usually too short for the beans to mature fully and crop yields are seldom worthwhile.

This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby.

Looking at the time they say is needed for mature beans they'd need starting off in modules.

[momol]

[QUOTE=smallblueplanet;173738]I always find 'short'/bush beans a bit of a waste of space, unless say, like extra-fine french beans they're 'sort of' a different variety. So when the company I linked to start selling on ebay I think I'll get some of the climbers/pole lima beans.
Whats to be advised on momol? QUOTE]

Would it grow and thrive in Uk ? if it grows well in Uk, it should do well here too. The Pole one seems to be around 80 to 90 days are you sure?
Thanks Manda

I was under the impression that they needed a longer growing season than we can give them here? Think they might do better under cover ? I may be wrong, just have the idea I've read it somewhere...


Here you go; Phaseolus lunatus - Plants For A Future database report

I have been trying to gather some info but not much luck, seems to be popular in the state (south) but some people said it is growing well in Missoury (similar to NL climate) that is I get tempted.
I'm thinking of the Hendersen bush as it is very early (a bit over 50 days).
Thanks for the link Sarah, read it before .

[smallblueplanet]

Henderson's Bush Lima Bean (Henderson's Baby Lima Bean)
Origin: USA

Henderson's Bush Lima Bean (also known as "Henderson's Dwarf Lima Bean", "Earliest Bush Lima Bean" and "Henderson's Baby Lima Bean" was first introduced by the Peter Henderson Seed Company in 1888. Two somewhat different legends surround the origin of this wonderful lima bean variety. According to one legend, this bean was found growing wild along a fence on a Virginia roadside by a soldier returning home from the American Civil War in 1865. The second, more detailed legend, states that the bean variety was actually growing along side a Virginia roadside in 1885 by a common laborer. The laborer then sold the seeds he collected from the lima bean variety to T.W. Woods & Son's Company of Richmond, Virginia, who in turn sold the bean stock to Peter Henderson. What is known for fact is that Henderson was responsible for introducing the variety to the public three years later in 1888. Henderson's Bush Lima Bean is the old fashioned standard for lima or wax beans in the United States and will still give any modern lima bean variety a great run for its money nearly 120 years later.

This old fashioned bean variety is ideal for canning, freezing and drying, which make it ideal all around. This lovely variety features tall, bushy plants which are reliable and early producers and will provide enormous yields of lima beans right up until the first frost. Bush lima beans are very easy to cultivate and this variety will produce a great crop of small, flat, slightly curved, bean pods which contain 3 to 4 plump, buttery flavored lima beans that will dry to an ivory white in color.

This variety produces earlier than most bean varieties, providing a fine harvest within 60 to 65 days. This great lima bean is drought tolerant and is extremely suitable for the American South.

King of the Garden Pole Lima Bean
Origin: USA

The King of the Garden Pole Lima is an old fashioned, heirloom lima bean that was first introduced in 1883 and has remained very popular ever since. This variety is a very good climber and reaches heights of up to eight feet. Supports of some type, are therefore a necessity, but the extra work of erecting poles or other supports saves precious space in the garden and a great number of plants can be grown in a smaller space than required for the same number of bush varieties.

The fast growing vines are very productive and give a very high yield of dark green, 8 inch long pods. Each pod contains four to six large creamy-yellow colored lima beans. The beans are very plump and possess a fine buttery taste. One of the best choices for using dried.

Matures in 70 to 75 days.

Sure you've read that info momol, is 50 days a bit optimistic?

[momol]

I read the 50 plus days from other seeds company but as it is not an exact value I am ok with it. What I find more important is the info of succesful (and cropping) when they are grown in Uk or NL .

Decision, decision...