How many Borlotti bean plants?

[Two_Sheds]

Can anyone suggest a bean that is a bit more prolific? Thank you

the Serbian one that Flum and I grow is more prolific than the ordinary red Borlotti. It's my favourite shelling bean (PM me)

if I want a big crop of beans to dry, how do I achieve that

Just like runners, but stop picking them in about late August so they have enough time to dry out. If you get a damp autumn, the pods won't ripen properly.

You don't have to dry your beans though: you can start shelling them as flageolet (shelly) beans when you can feel the beans through the pod. Freeze them if you have the room.

I freeze some, and dry the rest.

[jackyspratty]

Thanks Mrs Jackson for the info, I'll look into them

Hi Thea, Im not 100% but I may have some of these left over from last year. If I have Ill pop them in with miss Wilmotts Ghost seeds

[LolaLou]

Great, thanks Two Sheds - one more question.....if I 'pick' them up til August, what do I do with the beans I pick - eat them like runners OR can I let the first bean pods that grow get fat then pick them (and freeze the fat beans) and let the rest then grown and dry/freeze them after? I wasn't planning on using the beans for eating like runners (as I'll have them, hopefully, anyway) so purely looking to harvest beans for storing. Thanks

[Alison]

I grow totally separate beans for fresh and dried and don't pick any of the dried ones until they are, erm dried..........

[northepaul]

Thanks for all your replies, very useful - I am gonna keep and eye out for some Cherokee and Serbian beans and do some more research.
Cheers!!

[zazen999]

THE most prolific I have found are Madeira Maroon; very much like Borlotti; big and fat so take up more room in the jar and in the recipe; climbers and they produce for ages. Unfortunately, I have sown most of mine this year or you could have had some. In fact, when I say most, I put all the ones that I had in last weekend.

If anyone has any then I'd recommend; if not perhaps next year?

[northepaul]

THE most prolific I have found are Madeira Maroon; very much like Borlotti; big and fat so take up more room in the jar and in the recipe; climbers and they produce for ages. Unfortunately, I have sown most of mine this year or you could have had some. In fact, when I say most, I put all the ones that I had in last weekend.

If anyone has any then I'd recommend; if not perhaps next year?

Thanks Zaz and no worries. I was going to do a trawl through ebay anyway