Another tedious borlotti question.

[brownfingers]

I have no idea how big the pods should be before harvesting, so would it be ok just to leave them to die off and the pods dry naturally. I intend saving some for seed, but the rest to be used from dried rather than frozen from fresh. Or wouldit be a good idea to use some while fresh. I only have 15 dwarf plants, so I'm not talking a lot of beans here.

[rustylady]

Leave them on the plants to dry. I grow climbing borlotti - much bigger harvest from the same amount of ground

[brownfingers]

Yes but I got the bean seed for nowt.

[Alison]

You can eat them as soft beans but I don't do that with many of mine as there are so many other things around at this time of year which I prefer fresh. Most of them I leave on until nice and crispy then use as seeds / dried beans.

[Two_Sheds]

I have no idea how big the pods should be

Well they don't get any bigger as they dry ~ they tend to be *about* 6 inches long?

wouldit be a good idea to use some while fresh. I only have 15 dwarf plants

It depends on your weather, really.

If the weather turns very damp & cold with no sun, the pods will rot rather than dry out. If they have no chance of drying out fully, then it's best to harvest them semi-dried, and eat them or freeze them.

If your freezer's full, then you'd be better drying them and storing in glass jars (an option which uses less fuel too, if that's a consideration).

[brownfingers]

When I said "big", I should have said "fat", as regards the size of the bean inside. It looks like leaving them on the plant until harvesting is a must.

[Two_Sheds]

saving some for seed, but the rest to be used from dried ...

When I said "big", I should have said "fat", as regards the size of the bean inside.

You don't go by the size of the bean seed, you just wait until the pods are brown & crispy. If you were to harvest them when the pod is still leathery and supple, the (immature) seed would be edible but no good for planting

[brownfingers]

Harvested some borlotti yesterday to have with the dinner. Lovely nutty taste. Some of the beans were "marbled", but the majority were just unifomly green. Whats all that about then?

[Scarlet]

Perhaps picked a little too early brown fingers? The colouring usually develops later.

[Martin H]

You don't go by the size of the bean seed, you just wait until the pods are brown & crispy. If you were to harvest them when the pod is still leathery and supple, the (immature) seed would be edible but no good for planting

I have found with both runners and climbing french beans that if I pick the pods once the beans are well formed I can leave the pods on a windowsill to dry, then shell them when they have gone all crispy in a couple of weeks. They will then germinate and grow absolutely fine. I expect borlotti's will be the same although I haven't tried them.

[Two_Sheds]

Borlotti are French beans, so yes Martin

[brownfingers]

By the look of the weather, I shall have to harvest them now and dry them inside, hoping that some will be usable as seed next year. Ah well, thats jacket spuds, finney haddock and borlottis for dinner tommorow.