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

flowerbug

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i went out to do some work on the north garden top edge where water flows down a lot more than i'd like so i'm reshaping that area to divert and hopefully split the flow of water around to either side. while standing there looking at what i needed to do next i decided to remove the Spotted Pheasant plants which were growing right along the edge i needed to work on. they had a few pods still on them but not many (they were still flowering and green).

i also had the chance to sample a green pod that was just starting to get big enough to eat. it was not the best green bean i'd ever tasted, but as a dual purpose bean it would be acceptable. so next year i'll get more of these planted and give them a proper eating green bean trial. i should have enough seeds to work with, but i've not shelled out all of them yet to know the final tally for these. still i'm happy that the few seeds i planted actually survived since they were outside the fence and they could have been trampled or eaten at any time by the deer. as usual there were new deer tracks in that garden area. sometimes i do a lot of work on an area and the deer will wander through and make a mess of things and i have to keep fixing it until the plants get better established and then the deer hooves don't make quite as much of a mess.

the north garden is normally the last garden i plant so how late these Spotted Pheasant beans have gone may not be how long they will go if planted a few weeks earlier so that will also be a part of next year's evaluation of these new beans.
 

heirloomgal

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The basic pattern of your bean is still about the same. Probably soil differences. The photo on the website is when I raised the bean in 2016 in a heavier clay type topsoil. The colored area around the eye on your grow out has expanded a little. Actually I like the the way your beans look more than mine. I might have to raise some of your seed next year and see if they change in the soil here. All your seed is so beautiful. So well filled out. That is a picture of quality seed.
Here's me reading your post


:weee

then

:celebrate

and

:woot
 
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Blue-Jay

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This bean is called Zebra. Yet another one with this name from a grower in Pennsylvania. Pretty seeds larger that Pale Grey lavender. Oval and about the same color maybe slightly darker. Lot of the pods have yellowed and a few have dried. I thought that I was harvesting those dry pods from maybe three or four plants. This monster is one single plant. It must be over 3 feet wide maybe 4 feet. Yesterday I severed it from it's root system. It's being pokey about drying it's pods so it's time to help it along. I waited all last week for most of the pods to turn yellow. The rest of this week is going to be sunny and warm here and nice even next week.

Zebra
Zebra One Plant.jpg



Friday I'm heading to Livingston, Tennessee for the Sustainable Mountain Agricultural seed swap. I'll take photos and post them for you here next week sometime.
 

flowerbug

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The lima has a pod starting.

And I have harvested my wild soybeans. got about a quart of pods off of them (doesn't sound like much until you realize that there were only ten plants and each pod is only about and eighth of an inch)

are the seeds about the size of a mung bean?
 

flowerbug

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Oh no, a mung bean is WAY bigger than a wild soybean seed. They're about the size (and shape, when dried) of the seeds of a black locust tree.

so flatter in shape? to me the locust tree seeds look bigger than mung beans, but perhaps i'm thinking of smaller mung beans than you are. :) i've only seen them as tiny seeds (about the size of a small adzuki bean 4mm or so).
 

Pulsegleaner

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so flatter in shape? to me the locust tree seeds look bigger than mung beans, but perhaps i'm thinking of smaller mung beans than you are. :) i've only seen them as tiny seeds (about the size of a small adzuki bean 4mm or so).
Are you sure you aren't thinking of the seeds of the honey locust? I said the black locust, Robinia pseudoacacia. And yes, they are sort of flattish. I'd say they are aboult as long as a peppercorn, but a lot flatter.

And yes, actually there are at least two sizes of mung beans, the Chinese type (which is dull green and larger) and the Thai type (which is bright green and smaller)
 

flowerbug

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Are you sure you aren't thinking of the seeds of the honey locust? I said the black locust, Robinia pseudoacacia. And yes, they are sort of flattish. I'd say they are aboult as long as a peppercorn, but a lot flatter.

no, i looked them up to be sure of what they looked like.


And yes, actually there are at least two sizes of mung beans, the Chinese type (which is dull green and larger) and the Thai type (which is bright green and smaller)

oh, ok, i must have seen the smaller version as it was bright green. i tried to grow it but no luck on getting anything from it. i only had one seed that was a stray in a mixed soup bean package. i didn't have any return from the few lentils or chickpeas i planted either.
 
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