Planning on beans (for drying) for next year

[chris]

(Hi TS )

Looking at what beans to have a go at for next season... currently thinking of borlotto, kidney, yin yang (never had these before), haricot, and a butter bean (can't find a decent description anywhere for these... we usually buy these tinned, are they broadies - in the tins they're always white?).

We do use a lot of different types of beans, so I figured we'd have a go at growing for dried beans.

...and I've come across my first question Is there any difference in Dwarf/Bush and Climbing plants, in terms of taste/bean? for example, I'm looking at Borlotto (T&M - to take advantage of free P&P), they've the two types.. I'm planning on building a structure ala zazen's linky from that other forum so am hoping to grow underneath too.

If I can fit a few dwarfs underneath that'll give me more space to grow in, but if the beans aren't as good/don't have as good storage properties I'd rather avoid them and say just grow peas there.

Also, once the pods are dried out, is it just a matter of putting them in an airtight container, or do they need washing first?

TIA!

[zazen999]

So many questions!

butter beans are not broad beans - a wiki link here explains the different types.....I class butter beans as lima beans....

No taste difference between dwarf and climbers - but differences between types.....as i mainly put them in chilis and curries etc - as long as they cook down well that's the main issue for me. I like Borlottis in Tomato based soups - and pintos for chilis for example - the bean type suits the dish....I've not had a horrid tasting bean!

With regards storage; the dwarf ones should by rights mature quicker thereby making it a better storer in terms of getting more fully grown and dried in a shorter summer - however the climbers soon catch up and give a fuller harvest.....

Some dwarfs are really quick [early warwick and emperor of russia are usually my first 2 to have dried pods on them], but I'd still be just as happy waiting for Madeira Maroon as the individual beans are gorgeous!

Leave them on the plants until the pods lose colour and go crispy - and bring them in and finish them off indoors - under newspaper, in the airing cupboard, on tables in trays [anywhere really]....and when the sound of the beans changes from thuddy to cracky [you WILL be able to tell] then you can store in lovely jars and gaze lovingly at your beans.

I'd say, suck it and see - grow a few of each and see what suits.

[womble]

Hesitatingly answering, as there are much more skilled people on here with drying beans.

No difference between tall and dwarf beans. Apart from yield.

Just dry them and stick them in a jar, no need for washing.

I could offer you some seeds (once I've sorted out my seed boxes)
Yin yang (climbing), I think I have some spare seeds, Zazens dwarf pinto and some of my own hybrids, a cross between Trail of tears and the pinto, can be used for drying or fresh, they grow what seems like semi tall, about 4 or 5 feet, but it may be more as I stopped mine early as I wasn't expecting them to grow that tall. Has a black seed bean.

[zazen999]

Hesitatingly answering, as there are much more skilled people on here with drying beans.

No difference between tall and dwarf beans. Apart from yield.

Just dry them and stick them in a jar, no need for washing.

I could offer you some seeds (once I've sorted out my seed boxes)
Yin yang (climbing), I think I have some spare seeds, Zazens dwarf pinto and some of my own hybrids, a cross between Trail of tears and the pinto, can be used for drying or fresh, they grow what seems like semi tall, about 4 or 5 feet, but it may be more as I stopped mine early as I wasn't expecting them to grow that tall. Has a black seed bean.

Interesting; I have a pinto cross that is a climber and has black beans - Seahorse is also growing them this year and her kids named them Black Box.....This year the markings have been virtually non existent [only if you look very hard can you see the original pinto markings]...

[chris]

Thanks womble, I'd love to try a few of any you'd be able to offer! Happy to send SAE (padded?) or send paypal/bacs whatever is easier

Interesting point about dwarfs maturing faster.. I may try some of these to see how we get on with them, thanks.

Can any of the bean family be dried out? For example, I've seen some of those flat bean pods (Goldfield?) - could you dry them out? Other french beans for example (or the yellow podded ones). What about broadies?

Cheers again ! Really looking foward to having a collection of dried beans int he cupboards! (btw, do they last well? Do they start to rot/break down when they're getting past it?)

[womble]

Interesting; I have a pinto cross that is a climber and has black beans - Seahorse is also growing them this year and her kids named them Black Box.....This year the markings have been virtually non existent [only if you look very hard can you see the original pinto markings]...

My beans have no markings at all and are a black/dark purple colour.
I ate some fresh and they were nice, they also dry well and a better crop than the pintos, which admittidly were a smaller crop than the original seeds you sent me. I've selected my seeds better this year I hope.

The colour of flowers on the hybrids are a slightly paler pink than the Trail of tears.
I think (hope) that these are going to be a very high yielding bean for drying.

You can see a picture in my album
http://s293.photobucket.com/albums/mm72/moneysaving/

[womble]

Thanks womble, I'd love to try a few of any you'd be able to offer! Happy to send SAE (padded?) or send paypal/bacs whatever is easier

Interesting point about dwarfs maturing faster.. I may try some of these to see how we get on with them, thanks.

Can any of the bean family be dried out? For example, I've seen some of those flat bean pods (Goldfield?) - could you dry them out? Other french beans for example (or the yellow podded ones). What about broadies?

Cheers again ! Really looking foward to having a collection of dried beans int he cupboards! (btw, do they last well? Do they start to rot/break down when they're getting past it?)

That's alright I'll send you some. Pm me.
I'm very unorganised though, so don't expect some this week

[zazen999]

Thanks womble, I'd love to try a few of any you'd be able to offer! Happy to send SAE (padded?) or send paypal/bacs whatever is easier

Interesting point about dwarfs maturing faster.. I may try some of these to see how we get on with them, thanks.

Can any of the bean family be dried out? For example, I've seen some of those flat bean pods (Goldfield?) - could you dry them out? Other french beans for example (or the yellow podded ones). What about broadies?

Cheers again ! Really looking foward to having a collection of dried beans int he cupboards! (btw, do they last well? Do they start to rot/break down when they're getting past it?)

You CAN dry out any beans and peas; after all that's how they get sown next year. However some [broadies, runners] have hard casings and personally, i'd not use them for cooking.

If dried they will last years and years; after all some peas have bean found in graves and germinated....[did you see what I did there ]

Welcome to the Bean and Pea Growing Community. There are a few of us trying to get a good range of beans grown and swapping in the UK - as we have so few compared to the USA and most are grown for green beans......so once you are up and running [and obsessed] perhaps you might want to take a few on for growing and distributing around the place.


Power to the Pea-ple

[chris]

:P Thanks

erm, do beans cross easy? If I saved seed to sow the following year, would I need to isolate?

I know that my sutton broadies can set fruit without being polinated, but that's about as far as my knowledge extends ;p

[zazen999]

Broadies and runners cross; the others mainly stay pure but you will get some rogues. Hence the crosses that myself and Womble got from the pintos......

[cupcake]

I think the main lesson I've learnt this year (my second season) is that I haven't grown way enough beans. I tried runners last year, but to be honest they didn't do much for me. So this year I tried Blue Lake climbing French. Only why did I only do one wigwam? I also have some dwarf borlottis which I will harvest when they've dried out, but the yield hasn't been great and I think I'll choose the climbing version next year.

[Flummery]

I have a cross that I got from one of my 10 Soldier seeds from the HSL. In Year 3 I now have a creamy white bean (Yoghurt) and a dark navy blue bean (Midnight - sadly this cooks to mucky grey!) as well as some that didn't grow true - I'm just tossing these into a jar for mixed beans.

Many producers of beans for seed will tell you they don't cross. However, if you grow organically and don't spray off all your insects you will get crosses occasionally. It's an opportunity, if you look at it that way.

[Bramble_killer]

That's alright I'll send you some. Pm me.
I'm very unorganised though, so don't expect some this week

I've been waiting for 2 years now

[zazen999]

I've been waiting for 2 years now

coffee>screen

[womble]

I've been waiting for 2 years now

erm, ahem.

On the plus side, I now have more varieties of seeds to send you