Beans Mad

[Scarlet]

I'm looking at some new varieties to try this year...thinking about Ng's seed circle fancy trying something new..any recommendations?
I seem to have mostly purple podded beans here..Kew Blue, blue beans and blue coco
I've a yellow french dwarf - Rocquencourt. I may start these early for a greenhouse crop.
For a little interest I've got some Hewitt, ive tried these before but I can't remeber why I didn't try them again, ive also got some climbing yin yang beans - the ones I've grown before were dwarf and a little disappointing. But may be worth another shot as they look lovely

Anyone grown any of the above? What are you planning on growing..

[Elfeda]

I have a packet of 12 seeds for dwarf bean bellini. will try saving some

[bearded bloke]

Mrs.BB returned from Madeira with Helda (Green climbing) & Maravilha Veneza Grao Branco (Yellow climbing), grown both before several times, the yellow climbers are great favourites of my neighbours children Just need to sort a runner at EGS (hoping DTBrown will be there with the stand of plain bags)

[Zelenina]

I've grown Kew Blue and Rocquencourt before. Both were very good. Royalty was a good dwarf purple bean. Major Cook's and Poletschka were both excellent climbers for drying beans. I think they could be good for green beans too, but I needed to save the seeds. Hutterite Soup Bean is a good dwarf drying bean with unusual coloured seeds and an interesting history. Coco Blanc a Rames is a real French Climbing French bean that produced lots of stringless flat green beans, and nice chunky white dry beans too. I'm hoping to grow most of those again this year because my seed supply needs refreshing. I’m particularly looking forward to growing Carter’s Polish beans from the HSL because they have pretty pink seeds. I’ve also got some seeds of a dwarf Yin Yang type called Dalmatin that I haven’t tried yet. Ryder's Top O' the Pole might be grown so I can find out why some people rave about it. I got it as a bonus HSL packet. And I want to try a Hungarian variety of Lima beans called Zalan, which should do ok here because our summers are hot. And there are quite a few others waiting in my seed stash.

[sparrow100]

I'm growing at least these, and more if it turns out I have a stray corner or two...:

Climbing: Cherokee Trail of Tears, Armenian Striped Brown, Kew Blue, Blue Lake, Desiree runners, Cara la Virgen de la Bañeza León, Veitch's, Monachello di Trevio, Snowcap, Bush: Black Coco, Minidor, Montcalm Red Kidney, Purple Teepee, Red Swan.

A couple are destined for the seed circle here if all goes well.

[Zelenina]

Maravilha Veneza Grao Branco (Yellow climbing),

Ah, that seems to be Portuguese for "Marvel of Venice with white seeds". I have that in my stash too, but the black-seeded version. It looks lovely on the packet, with big flat yellow pods. Glad to hear it's good to grow and eat too.

[bearded bloke]

It looks lovely on the packet, with big flat yellow pods. Glad to hear it's good to grow and eat too.

The pods will go white if over cooked (taste is still good), best I've found is to steam them in the microwave that way they look really good on the plate

[noviceveggrower]

I am hoping to have a bumper bean year this year both runner and broad. I will go through my tin in a bit and list what I am planting.
I was thinking of doing NG bean seed circle but don't think I will get a 'true' seed to add in. Everyone down the allotment seem to grow shed loads of beans.

[Small pumpkin]

This year I'm growing 4 varieties of Runner bean.
crusader, scarlet emperor, enorma, streamline
Crusader and scarlet emperor are new varieties in my growing list this year.
Also Pea bean. I have to grow these because the seeds came from other half's late dad. Pick them young and treat them like runners, taste good . Very easy to grow and save seed from.
I've never had much luck with climbing beans. Was considering giving them another try as I have a packet of cobra seeds. They always grow curly?

[Scarlet]

I am hoping to have a bumper bean year this year both runner and broad. I will go through my tin in a bit and list what I am planting.
I was thinking of doing NG bean seed circle but don't think I will get a 'true' seed to add in. Everyone down the allotment seem to grow shed loads of beans.

French beans are the easiest to save, they rarely cross. Choose a couple of plants to save from in the middle of your row. Don't grow similar types next to each other. Once they've dried check seed for any "odd" looking beans and get rid of them. Have a look at real seeds seed saving guide.
French Bean Seeds to buy in the UK from The Real Seed Catalogue

[Scarlet]

I've never had much luck with climbing beans. Was considering giving them another try as I have a packet of cobra seeds. They always grow curly?

Cobra is really worth a shot, very vigorous plant. Perhaps it was the variety of bean that made them curly? I grow some dwarf beans that grew quite curly, some varieties aren't dead straight...whatever shape the look though it's always better to pick and have them on hour plate in minutes