Help needed from seed savers!

[Rabidbun]

Hi all. Managed to save some seed from my french beans and peas this year, but I've noticed something a bit weird with them. One lot of peas and one lot of french beans (both flowering early at a time when others were not) have produced seeds that are a totally different colour than the ones I grew from. In each case they are a lot lighter in colour, though the same size.

Has this happened to anyone else or have I done it wrong?

[zazen999]

If they are alot lighter, then they might have been taken off the plant too soon?

Have you got photos of the new seeds next to the original ones [if you have any left]?

[Rabidbun]

Aye, here they are:

Picasa Web Albums - Dakiara - Desktop

Assuming the link works of course.

My saved lighter ones are from pods that had fully withered and been left in the sun for four days now to make sure. Kinda weird...

[zazen999]

Had the pods gone really dry on the plant? So that it cracks when it is pulled off?

[Rabidbun]

They held together to open but were papery and very leathery. The plant itself was disintegrating as I pulled off the pods. Hmm. Wonder if it wasn't dry enough then.

[Keith2202]

Are they Barlotto Lingua Di Fuoco Nano perchance? Mine are exactly the same.
The broad bean seeds I have saved are a light green, as opposed to the brown ones you get when you buy them.
I thought maybe commercial growers artificially dried them and that made them go darker?

[Flummery]

Older seeds go darker but as they are both this year's there's a possibility you have some crossing the previous year. (If they are from bought seeds then the cross occurred at the grower's). Unusual though, that it has occurred in 2 different seed saving sessions. I've only had a marked difference when varieties have crossed.

[Rabidbun]

The peas were the Real Seeds Bijou giant sugar snap peas. I figured that perhaps the pods I had picked to save weren't quite true to type but with it happening with the beans too, I wasn't sure if it was something I had or hadn't done. The beans were from a US supplier (Baker Creek).

I bought the darker ones earlier this year (and as far as I am aware from last years crops in both cases).

I wonder if there is a process that they go through then that makes them darker from the commercial growers like Keith reckons...

For the beans at least I have a second crop (that has been over a month late in establishing and flowering due to weather), so will compare to see if I get the same thing happening in a month or two.

Edit: Reckon I should test to see if they germinate? *debates panicking*

[zazen999]

I find that the darker ones really need to be left on the plant until the pod cracks or the colour is paler in the actual bean.

And the beans will go darker if left in the sun to fully dry off.

[King Carrot]

My saved golden mange tout from last year were green and the bought ones from Real seeds greeny brown - I grew them both this year and they were fine, I really shouldn't worry too much with peas and beans being different colours - just grown and saved in different conditions, they should grow fine even if they've been saved before they're absolutely dry.

[LolaLou]

I'm saving/drying seeds from my Borlotto Lingua for the first time this year (but for the casserole pot in the winter, not seed saving as such) and from the first dried pods I've got off the plant, all the seeds have come out a lovely creamy colour with maroon flecks, but two pods for whatever reason have produced beautiful marooon beans with just a few tiny cream flecks - I guess its just a variation within nature??

[BeatTheSeasons]

If they were F1 hybrids then would that make a difference to the seed colour?

(Obviously you shouldn't be saving seed from F1 hybrids as they won't be true to the original)

[Keith2202]

I'm saving/drying seeds from my Borlotto Lingua for the first time this year (but for the casserole pot in the winter, not seed saving as such) and from the first dried pods I've got off the plant, all the seeds have come out a lovely creamy colour with maroon flecks, but two pods for whatever reason have produced beautiful marooon beans with just a few tiny cream flecks - I guess its just a variation within nature??

The packet of seeds that I bought had some maroon ones in and the same as you, some of the ones I've saved are maroon (no idea if the maroon ones I saved came from the maroon ones I may or may not have planted though)

[zazen999]

I'm saving/drying seeds from my Borlotto Lingua for the first time this year (but for the casserole pot in the winter, not seed saving as such) and from the first dried pods I've got off the plant, all the seeds have come out a lovely creamy colour with maroon flecks, but two pods for whatever reason have produced beautiful marooon beans with just a few tiny cream flecks - I guess its just a variation within nature??

Yes, that happens often! About 1 in 30ish I get have the colours flipped...

[Rabidbun]

Have popped them on the windowsill in the sun to make sure, and the next lot will stay on the plant for as long as I can, weather permitting. Thanks all.

Might even end up eating some, though not sure I've been able to grow in enough quantities for that alas.