2015 Little Easy Bean Network - Old Beans Should Never Die !

[journey11]

@marshallsmyth , I have over 30 varieties you have sent me over the past couple of years. I've gotten a nice increase on nearly all and will be happy to send samples back to you of those and anything else I've got when you get settled in someday. Glad to see you posting again. We've sure missed you!

 

[Blue-Jay]

That's a big for sure missing Marshall. He's a great bean grower and excellent observer on how each bean grows. Yes Marshall needs to be growing beans again.

@aftermidnight,

Glad to hear you got the paperwork. I think it's best to do it this way with the import liscense so the beans don't get confiscated by the U.S. customs, and spoil all your efforts in obtaining those beans, and ruining the efforts of that person who grew those beans. Thanks so much for doing this, and I'll post again when the package arrives here.

 

[Blue-Jay]

Hi @aftermidnight,

The beans arrived today. Many thanks again. That was very fast. Only one week. I don't know if the package ever went through the inspection station in California. I could tell that your bubble envelope was never opened. Your customs form laped over the envelopes closure end, and if the package was to be opened the customs form would have had to be torn to get the package open. Nothing on the package was disturbed. None of the edges were slit open. My native American friend will be thrilled to get these P. Coccineus beans plus 5 others that I have managed to get for him.

Can I send you some postage $$'s?

Anyway that's been some real traveling seed. From to the UK then western Canada now north central U.S. then to eastern U.S.

 

[aftermidnight]

Hi @Bluejay77 , nix on the postage, one good turn deserves another you found a bean for me that we thought was extinct, besides we'll probably do a bit of trading in the future . Yep, these beans do get around don't they.
As for sending beans to the states this seems to be the way to go, more of a hassle for you having to get the paperwork and send it on, at my end no trouble at all. A bit of a pain for you guys whereas when you send beans to Canada all you need is a declaration slip, no permit is needed. Anytime I have or can find a bean you are looking just let me know and I'll see what I can do. We beanaholics have to stick together .
Annette

 

[Blue-Jay]

@NancyJ10x,

The Badda di Polizzi Blanda might be one of those beans that take time to produce their seed coat colors. If you have seed of that send it anyway in a packet and of course mark all packets with their variety names on them.

 

[Blue-Jay]

Hi @1honeycomb,

Sorry to hear that you were sick. Certainly hope your well again and feeling good.

I got a packet of seed in the mail from you yesterday. I don't know what they all are as they are a mix.

What I am wondering about is what happened to the Star 2052, and Imbotyi Umthubi I sent this year. Were you able to get any seed of those this season?

 

[VA_LongBean]

Hi @Bluejay77

I've been corresponding off and on with a Garden Web member who is a legume enthusiast. This year he coincidentally was also growing out seeds for Solwezi bean.

In his words: "The 16 Solwezi transplants I started (after pulling 2 plants early for disease symptoms) did well. The thing is, though, that there was a wide variation between plants; some had all-purple pods, some all-green, and some green with purple streaks. The original dry seed had been light grayish-purple; but the dry seed I harvested has (a) gray with squared ends; (b) black-speckled; (c) beige; and (d) purple like the original seed. There was also variation in plant vigor & DTM between different plants. I don't know whether Solwezi is an incredibly diverse land race, or whether it has just been heavily crossed. They certainly were NOT bush, as my source had labeled them; all were vining, to various degrees. There is over a pound of dry seed, separated at present into the 4 categories... but I don't know what to do with it. The dry seed combination is attractive, but the different DTM's would make it impractical for use as dry seed. Feel free to share my results with the members of your seed project; I would be happy to send them some seed, if they feel it would be useful. I am offering it through SSE next year with full disclosure as to its nature, but if I grow it out again, I will probably attempt to separate out purple-podded/gray seeded line, which had the earliest DTM & was fairly productive. Several lines could probably be developed from this mix, should someone have the time & inclination to do so... I don't"

So, it seems like either I grew out a selection from a landrace or his seed got crossed at some point. Hmm. The pods I harvested were green with no purple streaks and the pole habit was unmistakable.

 

[Blue-Jay]

Sounds like the Solwezi plants may have very outcrossed. Further growing over a number of seasons will tell you whether they will just continue to segregate into many different combinations or whether they appear to be settling down into a stable configuration.

I would continue try selecting for the original seed coat.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Russ I mailed the beans off today, expected delivery Thursday the 29th.


FEIJAO - #65

Bush Bean, no runners. Vigorous plants about 16” tall that set lots of green pods in a hurry then finished. The blooms were a light pink. I did not eat any as I had only two plants. The green pods had no markings and were about 3” to 5” long with 3 to 5 beans per pod. The pods were pretty smooth.


IMBOTYI IMSWI

Bush Bean, no runners. Plants started out very strong, looked like they would be maybe 18” tall and were vigorous. Then a wet spell set in. Most died, four out of 25 plants lived, and the ones that lived were badly stunted. After that nothing was normal. I feel lucky to be able to return 25 seeds to you that I feel are representative to what I received. The pods were smooth and solid green but I’m not sure how representative they really were on those stunted plans.



Feijao was planted in a raised bed. Being in a raised bed it drained very well and avoided the problems the others experienced, though a strong wind hit it and beat it up some. It recovered nicely.


Imbotyi Imswi, Star 2000, Zambezi #3, and Lohrey’s Special were planted in my main garden. When the weather set in unusually wet for a spell the Imbotyi Imswi mostly died out and the other three did die along with most of my other crops. They just drowned.

 

[journey11]

Feijao was planted in a raised bed. Being in a raised bed it drained very well and avoided the problems the others experienced,

That's been my experience too. They just don't tolerate wet feet for days on end with these rainy spells my area is prone to having. Russ's beans and any I worry about not having enough for backup always go in the raised beds now and do quite well there.