Seed sowing dilemma!

[veggiechicken]

I'm sitting here looking at 13 different varieties of runner beans and can't decide which to sow.

Should I sow
1. all one type,
2.half and half,
3.a couple of each
4. only the ones I've grown before
5. only the never before grown ones

etc etc

How do you decide - or do you only buy one packet of seeds

[Trix]

How many are you going to sow? I'd be tempted by one or two of each - but I only have one variety (and that's one more than I planned)!

[Trix]

Or oldest seeds first?

[veggiechicken]

How many are you going to sow? I'd be tempted by one or two of each - but I only have one variety (and that's one more than I planned)!

I've filled 20 modules and 3 pots. I'm going to sow 2 beans in each module, maybe 3 or 4 in the pots.

[mothhawk]

I started off with Scarlet Emperor a few years ago and saved the seed for the next year. One or two didn't germinate the second year, so I filled the gaps with a six pack from my local nursery which was sitting in the reject corner 'cos the beans had way outgrown the 3" cells and had no label. The resulting beans from these were very long.
Then one year I had a few White Lady seeds from the VSP just 'cos I fancied some white flowers. But at the same time, still sowed my saved seed which was, I suppose, a cross of SE and the unnamed one.
Some of those saved seeds were white, some were normal pinky-blotchy-purple. Next year sowed some of each and again got the two colours.

Which is by way of saying, I don't buy runner bean seeds, and I grow pretty much mongrels.
(Flavour and tenderness excellent though )

[Monster]

I'd sow a couple of each, variety is always nice. Down with monocultures and all that

[Bren In Pots]

How do you decide - or do you only buy one packet of seeds

I bought some Scarlet Emperor seeds in '07 and haven't bought any others since, I start eating them as soon as they're a couple of inches long then others are left to use as shelly beans and some for the following years seed.

I grow Serbian poles beans for shelly beans but I'm not sure if they've crossed with the SE ones or not.

If you've got the space sow some of each and see which you like the taste of.

[Penellype]

I'd sow some of each, then you have a good chance of spreading the crop out a little as they may mature at different times.

[Nicos]

I'd go with Penellype...sow a few of each...

....different maturing dates, for eating pods or beans.... or drying, different coloured flowers, and leave a few pods of each variety to seed for next year( but keep 'em pure breed by hand pollinating and bagging up.)

Suppose it depends on how much space you have....

[veggiechicken]

Thanks everyone. You all seem to suggest that I sow a few of each - did anyone really think I could limit myself to just one or two varieties ?
From what I've read, runner beans will cross with others within half a mile - so 13 varieties in my back garden is just asking for failure!
I'll sow 4 of each and see whih ones perform the best. If one favourite emerges, I'll consider growing that one only next year. Sounds like a plan..............thanks for clearing my mind

[rary]

Why dont you mix them and go for pot luck

and yes that`s what I would do

[Philthy]

I think I'd be inclined to stick primarily with the 'never grown before' group, growing several of each, plus a few plants of ONE tried and tested variety included as insurance, but also to act as the bench mark by which to rate the new ones.

[veggiechicken]

OK, you can all go to sleep now - I've sown them

4 beans of :-

Firestorm
White Lady
Polestar
Moonlight
Equator
Painted Lady
Lady Di
Armstrong
White Emergo
Scarlet Emperor
St George
David Chappell (HSL)
Buckles Black (local variety with Black beans).

If they all grow I may have space problems as I have 14 different lots of Climbing French beans on the go too - and I haven't sown the dwarf ones yet

[fishpond]

Beans for Xmas dinner then?
Question is, which ones?

[Lumpy]

Every year I say I 'won't' and every year I do.
That is I get fed up with having packets everywhere so I mix together everything that is the same veggie. Lettuce, beetroot, radish, frenchies, runners, spring onions etc - you get the drift. Its amazing how exciting it can be not knowing if your beetroot is going to be red, stripy, white or yellow and will it be a tangy radish or a blow your socks off oriental one.