borlotti beans

[mrswadders]

Have picked a packet up today, it says provide ssome support. Do they grow as big as runners?

[rustylady]

There are several types of borlotti beans MrsWadders, dwarf and climbing. Does it give you an expected height on the packet?

I grow the climbers and yes, I grow them up canes like runner beans.

[scarey55]

As rustylady said - you get all sorts but the ones I have grow extremely tall and extremely fast

I just adore them though, they can be used in so many different ways:
Sliced like runners, shelled to put in stews and soups and dried to eat all through the winter... and so pretty

[mrswadders]

Hi, thanks for the replies sorry i did'nt reply sooner. I've deduced there dwarf ones. Hoping I get a decent crop as they do sound lovely.

[Two_Sheds]

I've never had a decent crop from the dwarf borlotti, so I stick to climbers. Make sure to keep them well watered

[Dorothy rouse]

Two Sheds, I've just bought some Borlotti seeds today, I'm hoping they're not too difficult or sensitive! Intend to grow up canes, on well manured ground. Next to runners, that'll be ok?

[Two_Sheds]

Borlotti are a type of French bean, so you grow them exactly the same as runners. French tend to prefer drier warmer weather, whereas runners are better in cooler wetter conditions.
If you grow both, you're pretty much guaranteed a crop of something, whatever the summer throws at us

[Dorothy rouse]

I've never had a decent crop from the dwarf borlotti, so I stick to climbers. Make sure to keep them well watered

Rats! They seem to be Dwarf ones, not climber ones, as I thought, so we'll see how they do, planted some in modules. Might have another look to see if I can find 'climbers', they don't seem to be that easy to find.

[meteor]

Great advice, I'm glad I read this thread, I already decided to grow Borlotti beans to dry for winter use, so off to the shops to buy the runner type.
cheers.