2026 Little Easy Bean Network – Plant A Garden, Water Your Soul, Join Our Family

[Blue-Jay]

Wow, those are gorgeous! I think i like the first and second to last the best.

I think these two photos are the ones you like the best. Would you like a sample of each of these to keep and grow. Just in case I decide these beans are taking up too much room in the freezer. If they are in fact still stored in the freezer and I didn't already eat them. I could send you a sample of each if you want them. Just PM me your address and I'll get them to you sometime. I'm usually sending packages out once or twice a week.

 

[Blue-Jay]

Russ's 2025 Big Bean Show Day 52​

Zebra Aus Teneriffa - Pole Dry (photo left) From a grower in Willich, Germany in 2019. It was part of a bean trade. This bean did very well this past summer and does well wherever I grow it. Small seeds.

Zebrinas - Pole Dry (photo right) This bean did well also this past summer. From Decoy1 in 2019. Small seeded also. Both beans are very productive.

 

[Rillowen]

I think these two photos are the ones you like the best. Would you like a sample of each of these to keep and grow. Just in case I decide these beans are taking up too much room in the freezer. If they are in fact still stored in the freezer and I didn't already eat them. I could send you a sample of each if you want them. Just PM me your address and I'll get them to you sometime. I'm usually sending packages out once or twice a week.


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Oh yes please! I'll grow them this year. Is there any chance i could get a sample of your signature "blue jay" beans in that as well? I have a color blind 7yr old and I think he would be amazed at beans he can see.

 

[ruralmamma]

Hello! I'm absolutely new to growing beans. I am interested in trying this though, and I have a decent amount of space to work with. I am already planning on growing scarlet red runner beans and rattle snake pole beans, but the idea of helping some that need to be grown is very fun. As a bonus I homeschool and would love to teach our kids about this.
I need some basic teaching though.

How far away should varieties be planted to keep from crossing? Or should I only grow 1 cultivars a year??
How do I know which ones are safe to eat green does the "snap" name denote that? Since I know red runners are good green but they dont have "snap" in the name I'm a little confused.
Do "bush" beans still need support?

There is probably more I need to know, I just dont know to ask it! Teach me your ways!

Welcome @Rillowen!

This will be my second season of growing Network beans and finishing up our first year of homeschooling.

I had originally planned to have my daughter grow bush dry beans this year but decided that she'd be better off growing either a pole or bush variety of snap beans as I don't think she has the patience to wait for the pods to dry. Thankfully I have seeds of a few with yellow, purple or streaked pods to capture her interest.

I've been gardening for many years and am by no means an expert, but sometimes crosses happen. I have a family heirloom bean that suddenly started throwing out an occasional plant with a purple pod and seeds of a different color. A couple of the Network beans I grew last year produced a few surprises too.

We plan to incorporate several flowers into the garden this year and trying to determine where to place them in relation to the beans.

 

[ruralmamma]

So do volunteer beans happen very often for anyone?

Noticed I have three 3" tall plants where I grew the Ground Squirrel off-type(?) last year and have been covering them on cold nights. Only other time I've ever had volunteer beans was in the spring of 2021. US zone 6a. A little more snow than average this winter and I believe the lowest temperature was -10F

 

[heirloomgal]

Heirloomgal can you give me a link to where you found that? Because I have never once seen a honeybee on a bean flower. I see bumbles on my peas and runnerbeans all the time, but the only bees I've ever seen working common bean are the little tiny ones (sweat bee types) that I don't know the name of. I get beans crossing at my place, and we do have feral honeybees in the woods, but most of the pollination done here is wild bees as far as I can tell.

I found this paper about a study in Brazil, they list a lot of pollinators that were seen, but the only one that actually tripped flowers effectively in common bean was a species of carpenter bee (Xylocopa sp.)

Sure @oxbow farm, I don't have a link because I used an AI research tool so I copied and pasted the info here. I think bee information would be pretty specific to region, and I'd think Brazil would be quite different than North America, though I haven't researched it so am not sure. Funny to think that without the invasive bees, we'd be smooth sailing pretty much with seed saving re: self pollinating crops.

Most problematic bees for seed saving​

Western honey bee​

Biggest overall issue

• Flies long distances (2–5+ km)
• Visits many plants of the same species in one trip
• Strong flower constancy → efficiently transfers pollen between varieties
• Very abundant (managed hives + wild colonies)

If you’re growing multiple varieties of the same crop (e.g., squash, brassicas), honey bees are the #1 cause of crossing

---

Bumblebees​

Major cross-pollinators, especially for certain crops

• Native and very common in Ontario
• Fly hundreds of meters to a few km
• Excellent at:
  • Tomatoes (buzz pollination)
  • Peppers
  • Beans (can force flowers open)

They’re extremely effective pollinators—which also makes them excellent at mixing genetics

---

Giant resin bee​

Localized but increasing concern

• Visits large flowers (beans, legumes)
• Can move between plants within a garden or neighborhood
• Still less impactful than honey bees overall, but worth noting as it spreads

---

European wool-carder bee​

Indirectly problematic

• Doesn’t cause the most crossing itself
• But aggressively guards flower patches, changing which pollinators visit your plants

Can skew pollination patterns in small gardens

---

What actually matters more than species​

For seed saving, these factors matter more than which bee exactly:

1. Crop type (huge difference)​

• High risk (easily cross):
  • Squash (Cucurbita spp.)
  • Brassicas (kale, broccoli, mustard)
  • Carrots, beets
• Low risk (mostly self-pollinating):
  • Tomatoes
  • Beans (mostly)
  • Lettuce

---

2. Bee behavior​

• Long flight range = more crossing
• Preference for one plant species = more efficient pollen transfer

---

3. Garden density​

• Urban/suburban areas with lots of gardens = more crossing risk, especially from honey bees

---

Bottom line​

• Worst offender: honey bees (by far)
• Also important: bumblebees
• Minor but emerging: giant resin bee
• Most other bees = low impact on seed purity

---

Practical tip​

If you’re serious about seed saving:

• Use distance isolation (hard with honey bees)

 

[flowerbug]

So do volunteer beans happen very often for anyone?

...
oh yes. it is how i know that we are getting closer to bean planting time when i start seeing some poking up out of the ground. i expect i will see some in the next few weeks.