The past couple of years I’ve had problems with runner beans due mainly to the flowers not setting in the dry hot weather, so next year I’m trying the flat-podded French beans Algarve instead. I’ll also be growing the pencil-podded Fasold which I grew this year.
As well as these I’ll be growing two varieties of dwarf French beans, Borlotto Tintoretto and Martini. I grew the latter this year really liked them, with the pods only growing to around 4″/10 cm they only need topping and tailing before cooking.
(l – r Algarve, Fasold, Borlotto Tintoretto and Martini)
I’ll be sowing them in three lots, in mid May then early June and lastly late June, which should give me plenty of beans to enjoy eating well into October. I’ll also be sowing some extra Borlotto seeds which I’ll harvest for the beans to store for use into the winter.
I got all these from More Veg, where I’ve bought most of my vegetable seeds for the past thirteen years and highly recommend them, particularly if you only need small quantities.
Take care, and have a good weekend!
There are so many varieties of beans that there’s plenty to try out. Hope they’re more successful for you next year.
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Jo there certainly, we’re spoilt for choice. Thanks, lets hope so. xx
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Good luck with new varieties. In my area, which can be dry and hot in summer, bush beans do really well .
Xx
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Cathy thanks. That’s good to know. xx
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Brilliant, lovely to see your beans next to each other. Borlottis are beautiful aren’t they. I haven’t grown them for a while, but I do love them. My runners are never hugely successful. They do brilliantly until I go on holiday, then the lack of picking and lack of water makes it all go wrong. Hope you have a good weekend Flighty. CJ xx
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CJ thanks. They sure are. Good for you. That’s a shame. That’s the problem with taking holidays. Thanks, and you too. xx
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That’s a nice mix of beans you are proposing to grow. I am fond of most of them. I hope they do you proud.
xxx
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Menhir I like a mix. Good for you. Thanks, let’s hope so. xx
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I love French beans and hope the varieties you’ve chosen will do well.
Here, in the U.S., it’s Thanksgiving Day. People are being asked to pare down their celebrations, not travel, keep in small units. Since this is such a divided country, a good number are not heeding directives from scientists and The Center for Disease Control. So heaven help us (and the poor doctors and nurses and other staff who are already exhausted) over the next couple of months.
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Liz good for you, and thanks let’s hope so.
It’s all a bit worrying I’m sure, so take care and keep safe. xx
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We’ve had some very hot summers over the past couple of years and it has made growing runners tricky I agree, I had trouble getting mine going this year but luckily they did in the end, just much later than I would have liked so harvests were not so abundant. I love Borlotti beans and grow them too but I haven’t tried the others you mention, which look interesting. Take care and happy weekend to you x
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Karen I’m not surprised, I think that ones started later did better. Good for you, me too. Thanks, and you too. xx
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They certainly did and I had beans well into October without them running out of steam, so it all worked out quite well in the end. One thing I will do from now on is to sow direct, rather than planting young plants raised in pots. The direct sown ones did much better, lovely strong plants xx
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I’ve discovered over the last few years that I love flat, climbing beans (especially the yellow ones, so buttery!). They seem to crop earlier than runners too. Good luck
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Alison good for you, they sound rather tasty. That’s good to know. Thanks. xx
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The new varieties sound interesting, it’ll be good following their progress.xxx
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Snowbird I agree, they do and it sure will. xx
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Beans are not my favorite food, but they are sure cute in your pictogram.
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Nikki that’s a shame. I did the picture to show the colour and size of the beans. xx
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