2023 Little Easy Bean Network - Beans Beyond The Colors Of A Rainbow

[Ladyreneer]

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Heirloom Gal, just curious how you water your beans on your counters and floor without getting everything wet and messy? BTW, I worry over my Network Beans just like you do. You're not alone.

 

[Zeedman]

My husband was forced to eat frozen cooked lima beans as a child, and now hates them. He goes on and on about how awful they are. So I have purchased seed, and plan to grow them and not tell him what they are. If all of you are growing them they must have some redeeming qualities, right??

I love fresh butterbean limas, much better than canned. But limas need heat to do well. If I lived in your climate, @Branching Out , I would consider growing some of the white-seeded runner beans instead. Runner beans thrive in cooler climates... and they have HUGE shellies, to rival or exceed even the largest limas. @aftermidnight (also from BC) grew Piekny Jas, which is a delicious white-seeded runner bean. It does OK here, I have a couple pints of shellies in the freezer. Gigandes, Bianco de Spagna, and Royal Corona are similar varieties.

These were the Piekny Jas shellies:

 

[nune]

I don't think I'm having any luck with the African Cave beans, unfortunately. Plants are dying indoors left and right. :[

 

[Blue-Jay]

I don't think I'm having any luck with the African Cave beans, unfortunately. Plants are dying indoors left and right. :[

I grew Dalmatian inside my house one year. I didn't start them until mid April. Good size pots with genuine top soil in them from outside in the garden. I didn't get seed until about mid July. Not as many pods but nice quality normal sized seed and pods. I grew them in front of my glass sliding door that is on the west side of my house. Plants only got the afternoon sun from about 1:30 pm to 4.

 

[heirloomgal]

Heirloom Gal, just curious how you water your beans on your counters and floor without getting everything wet and messy? BTW, I worry over my Network Beans just like you do. You're not alone.

Beautiful plants @Ladyreneer! So cheerful!

For the most part I have the beans in trays that don't have any holes. I didn't have to worry much about getting water on the floors though because I watered them in only moderately when I planted them (not enough for water to leak out), and I only gave water one more time after that. When I did I didn't top water, I dipped each starter pot in sterile water for 3 seconds near exactly and lifted out so no water would come up to the surface of the pots. So, only bottom watering that one time. I do tend to get a bit of soil mix on the floors though bringing the plants in and out as I do, I guess it gets knocked out from the bottom holes. For that, I just blame the dog.

 

[Ladyreneer]

Beautiful plants @Ladyreneer! So cheerful!

For the most part I have the beans in trays that don't have any holes. I didn't have to worry much about getting water on the floors though because I watered them in only moderately when I planted them (not enough for water to leak out), and I only gave water one more time after that. When I did I didn't top water, I dipped each starter pot in sterile water for 3 seconds near exactly and lifted out so no water would come up to the surface of the pots. So, only bottom watering that one time. I do tend to get a bit of soil mix on the floors though bringing the plants in and out as I do, I guess it gets knocked out from the bottom holes. For that, I just blame the dog.

I think I probably/possibly hover over my plants and fuss over them more than I need to do. LOL. Of course I've got bunches of heirloom tomatoes, squash, zucchini, herbs, etc. all going at the same time.
I was just wondering if there was a secret that I needed to know because my hubby isn't a fan of any kind of plant mess in my house. (I use the trays to cut down on extra work but I guess with beans they come up so fast there's no need.)
I hope to dazzle him this year with all the fresh veggies!

 

[flowerbug]

...
I hope to dazzle him this year with all the fresh veggies!

good luck and happy beaning!

 

[flowerbug]

report from sister in southern NM is that they have Purple Dove bean sprouts.

my sprouts here have survived and are doing ok.

 

[Branching Out]

report from sister in southern NM is that they have Purple Dove bean sprouts.

my sprouts here have survived and are doing ok.

Flowerbug, I am very curious about this Purple Dove bean. You seem to have a very special attachment to it. What is it about Purple Dove that makes it such a compelling bean for you to grow?

 

[Branching Out]

Last year I grew Anasazi Tepary beans, which was my first time with the teparies. This year I will grow Blue Speckled Tepary and Orange Speckled Tepary, the orange one being rather important as it is a network bean. The Anasazi Tepary beans that I grew last year were on the small side-- but these blue and orange ones are absolutely miniscule. Are there any special considerations for sprouting these? I know that teparies are tiny but tough-- but these look like a strong wind could blow them away.