2021 Little Easy Bean Network - Bean Lovers Come Discover Something New !

[Zeedman]

@Zeedman have you eaten any fresh? Those seeds look real small. How do they compare to the southern standard, purple hull peas?
Your DW looks lovely.

I had intended to test the pods as snaps... but the ones I picked were mixed in with some of the Thailand Pole snaps (which are about the same length) and ended up being given away to a visiting friend. I'll make a point of testing a few before they all begin to toughen up.

I've grown Purple Hull peas. Sad to say, although I know they are commonly eaten as green shelled peas, I've only eaten them dry. The black seeds of this climbing cowpea are a little smaller (165/oz.) than Pink Eye Purple Hull (140/oz.) but have more seeds per pod. PEPH impressed me with its yield, but I believe this black-seeded climbing variety will produce a similar amount in the same footprint... I'll know at season's end.

None of which will matter unless they prove to be good eating.

 

[Zeedman]

What a gorgeous photo. Those beans tho! Wow! If those are Swiss chard plants in the row, what fine looking unblemished leaves they have 😍

I'm really looking forward to seeing what these cowpeas can do, it looks like Russ sent me something really special. It remains to be seen if it can be identified; but if the beans prove to be tasty, it will have a permanent place in my collection.

Yes, an amazing year for chard & water spinach. Both have already been picked twice, are ready again - and almost no bugs this year! We'll get at least 2 more pickings from the chard, most of which will be frozen.

 

[heirloomgal]

The glamorous part of growing beans...lol

New curtains

This is a small sample of my entire living/diningroom right now

 

[baymule]

I like your decorations for the house!

 

[flowerbug]

The glamorous part of growing beans...lol
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New curtains
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This is a small sample of my entire living/diningroom right now
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Happy Beanmas! kind of like Festivus, but more positive. you can tell hubby it's like Mistletoe. haha!

aren't those flats great for bean worx?

 

[Blue-Jay]

The glamorous part of growing beans...lol

I've decorated my garage like that before, but I snip off the roots when I pull the plants out of the ground. I think it makes them easier to handle without the roots sticking out in all directions and a little cleaner.

 

[flowerbug]

I've decorated my garage like that before, but I snip off the roots when I pull the plants out of the ground. I think it makes them easier to handle without the roots sticking out in all directions and a little cleaner.

i only bring in the pods and leave the rest in the garden. i'll dry green pods all the way down in flats and as they finish up i consolidate and shell out what is ready because that gives me more flats and space back that i can use for the next round of picking. my general rule for pulling a plant is if it is dead, but also if it is fairly well done like if 3/4 of the pods have turned color and are starting to dry down i'll pull that plant too and bring in all the pods. we get so much dew fall here that leaving things out is just asking for them to end up rotting before they're finished drying.

these next three-four days of dry weather is great, but that means i only am able to get caught up on most of my picking through the gardens, but there will still be a lot to finish up growing out there too. some beans are still flowering. this late only those that are really smaller beans will be able to fill the pods and finish them well enough in time before the frosts start becoming a risk. mid-September on is frost chances.

sometimes we can get a few more weeks longer season and other years will be more like last year where we had a good frost right in the middle of September. and then there are the years where i get really lucky and the season can go into mid-October. that was one of my best pole greasy bean years the first year i grew them. had a huge crop and they all finished and looked great. that was the only year like that for those.

 

[heirloomgal]

Happy Beanmas! kind of like Festivus, but more positive. you can tell hubby it's like Mistletoe. haha!

aren't those flats great for bean worx?

Yup 😊

 

[heirloomgal]

@Bluejay77 one thing I hadn't anticipated was the fun of seeing the differences in the network beans after being grown in the soil here. Much to my surprise the Vaquero beans, King's Knight, the cross I posted before of course, and the Atwater bean all look a bit different than the seeds I planted. What is interesting too is a few of the beans, both network and others, grew into what at least seems like bigger beans. Maine Sunset & Berry's Best come to mind, if I am remembering correctly. This grow out also has me wondering if some beans, like those from arid regions, will actually decrease their markings when grown in more fertile soil.

I am just so happy with all my beans!! 😄

 

[Blue-Jay]

What is interesting too is a few of the beans, both network and others, grew into what at least seems like bigger beans. Maine Sunset & Berry's Best come to mind, if I am remembering correctly.

I have also noticed in my grow outs of Maine Sunset and Berry's Best some larger seeds. For future grow outs of these two varieties I weed out the larger seed (bean soup material). I keep selecting these two varieties for the seed size and shape that I have known these beans to always have. I am of the thinking lately that these larger seeds could be the result of outcrossing and the seeds just happen to retain the varieties original markings and color. Colors and patterns even in crosses are repeatable. Outcrossing doesn't always lead to totally new and different characteristics. Other slight shifts in plant characteristics and seed coats can happen almost without notice with outcrossing. However you have noticed this also. You have a good eye for small details and that is a good thing.