Which Climbing Bean Would You Choose?

[Chippy Minton]

Another vote for Cosse Violette, nice tasting reliable bean. Never done very well with Cobra, could be me but... Never tried the other 2.

I like the squeak VC

[veggiechicken]

I knew you were weird, Chippy

[1Bee]

Love Cobra, although didn't do well last year. Can't say I've grown the others....

[jackarmy]

Another vote for Cosse Violette, nice tasting reliable bean. Never done very well with Cobra, could be me but... Never tried the other 2.

I like the squeak VC

Beans without a squeak is like South Wales without its sunshine

[1Bee]

And now you've made me buy cosse violette..

[Jimmy]

Runner beans climb, what's wrong with runners.
Jimmy

[Thelma Sanders]

The question was

Which Climbing Bean Would You Choose?
Out of these -

Cosse violette - purple
Cobra - green
Goldfield - yellow
Blue Lake - green

Looking for quality over quantity

No mention of runners - although they really are my favourite bean of all !

[Dalrimple]

Blue Lake for the past 5yrs and ive sown 2 packets for this year ,also as been said they crop well and freeze well ,iv'e saved some seeds from last year so ive got these as a back up if things go wrong,they are real squeaky beans! you don't get that from runners. atb Dal

[PyreneesPlot]

Another vote for cosse here, too. And the beans inside are good too when you miss a load!

[Jay-ell]

Looking at my seed packets it would seem that my answer would be ALL OF THEM - plus a few others for good measure.

Crosse Violette and Goldfield are new to me this year but I grow Blue Lake and Cobra the last few years and am pleased with them.

The others include Borlotta beans and Pea Beans, possible Yard Long beans. Plus the Dwarf Beans - several types of those.

I like to dry the beans for use is stews which means I need to grow more plants. Plus as a lot of the plant ends up in the compost they are also a manure crop of sorts.

[MarkPelican]

I agree with Jay-ell, grow them all.

I grow as many different varieties as I can, they all crop at different times. One thing I do do is to identify the different varieties (tie a bit of wool on the plant when you put them in) then you can save the seeds for next year (obviously if you've enough space to grow them separate, you don't have to). French Beans are unlikely to cross (unlike runner beans)

[seasprout]

Cobra and blue lake.

[Jay-ell]

I agree with Jay-ell, grow them all.

I grow as many different varieties as I can, they all crop at different times. One thing I do do is to identify the different varieties (tie a bit of wool on the plant when you put them in) then you can save the seeds for next year (obviously if you've enough space to grow them separate, you don't have to). French Beans are unlikely to cross (unlike runner beans)

Good idea ut sometimes the beans like to weave themselves in and out of each other if theyre planted close together. For seed you can take the pods from the ends of the rows where they probably haven't intertwined.

Some beans you can sort out after harvest (although it's easier if you try and keep different varieties separate to make it a bit easier. Cobra is easy to sort out from the rest with it's jet black seeds. Cosse Violette has flatter tan coloured beans.

Blue Lake and Gold Field look more like each other - both being white although Blue Lake is rounded cross section where as Goldfield seems to be flatter. Either plant these with cobra in between or, as the pods are different colours, yat all the pods that are intermingling first

By the way Donksey - are you looking for fresh beans or are you looking to dry them out? What qualities are you looking for in the best quality? For drying you could also go for Scarlet Runners which have a lovely nutty flavour when soaked and added to soups, stews, etc.

[veggiechicken]

Just remembered, I grew Goldfield last year as it has flat pods, like Hunter. Can't remember much about it as I grew it and ate it mixed with Hunter. The yellow pods were easy to spot.

[jackarmy]

squeekless ?