2024 Little Easy Bean Network - Growing Heirloom Beans Of Today And Tomorrow

[Blue-Jay]

I didn't say you did, I said you originally thought Ice Cream Sandwich was one. That's why you offered it to me (I was working with Lablabs at the time.)

Sorry I didn't understand your comment very well. Yes I offered you the Ice cream Sandwich because I thought it was a Lablab and you were growing that type. What do you think Icream Sandwich actually is?

 

[Pulsegleaner]

Sorry I didn't understand your comment very well. Yes I offered you the Ice cream Sandwich because I thought it was a Lablab and you were growing that type. What do you think Icream Sandwich actually is?

A common bean, we established that as soon as I got it. It's just one that is too day length sensitive for someone as north as me to grow (quite possibly for anyone in the US to grow outdoors.)

 

[heirloomgal]

I had the most wonderful surprise yesterday @Blue-Jay; one of the network beans, Blue & White of Bernardo, was hit pretty bad by whatever hit my bean gardens, but it started to look much better about a month ago. It never grew to the proper height, growing only to about 4 feet.

The good news is that under the lead canopy some pods did finally develop and are gaining in size. It's one of the few poles I didn't pull the plants out on, because it's still green enough that I don't think some rain will harm it. I found the first yellowed pod yesterday, and the seam had opened a little so I peeked inside seeing as it was opening already, probably because the humidity has been high and the pod had softened up. THE BEANS WERE GORGEOUS!!!! I was shocked because, as you know, the seeds in the packet were tan and white, so I expected the seeds to look like that. I actually wondered when I looked at the packet why the name had 'blue' in it? THESE ARE BLUE!!! And a really lovely blue at that. This is a really unique blue & white bean, I haven't seen anything else out there like it. Oh my gosh, I cannot believe this bean! I can't wait to take some photos of the fresh seed when the first bunch of dried pods come in. I guess this must be one of those beans that really changes color as it increases on dryness and age.

Other great news, the bean I got from the Iowa bean grower, Kang Wong something, might just give me seeds after all. I thought these runners were a COMPLETE bust. Now that's an epic fail, when the runner beans die out on you. But they did, and only regenerated somewhat around the same time the Bernardo bean did. Interestingly, the Iowa fellow tells me that farmers in his area experienced the same thing as me - a few days of very high winds, and then something seemed to burn out the plants. Afterward, some regrew new leaves and made the normal heights while some never did recover and produced only a few pods, stunted. Odd, it's exactly what I observed. He thinks windburn is the cause, could be. Never seen wind like I did this early summer. Anyway - the runner pods! If I lost these plants, I have no more seeds, and not likely I'd request a single packet all the way from Iowa. So my chance would have been blown!

Wanted to shine a little light on this bean you offer @Blue-Jay , network Lambada. It really is something else! SO red!

Feels a bit wierd to post this here in the bean thread, but this is about what beans can do for peppers! Haha!
This one was in the box with Coree de Sang Hoon - it did better than the greenhouse plants.

Saw that bit of red poking out - ?

Closer look pulling back the vines-

And behind the Gold und Silber pole! Not bad for pepper plants I totally neglected, but the bean plants seemed to care for them when I wasn't looking!

 

[Artorius]

I see you are all picking beautiful beans. I also collect the pods of most pole beans. Some of them are indecently fertile. One such bean is the Italian Zazza. The photo shows the top of the supports at a height of 2.8 meters but I already have a lot of dry pods from the lower parts.



@heirloomgal, what did Grandma Gina's pods look like when you cut the plants off from the roots to get good quality seeds? I don't know when to do this. The pods already have distinct purple patterns, but have not started to yellow yet.

Unfortunately I don't have much time to take pictures now. Maybe next year that will change.

 

[Decoy1]

@Decoy1 if you ever want to do a seed trade, hit me up! I've got lots of fresh Ruth Bible seeds from super robust plants! I did cheat though a little with RB, I put in transplants not seeds.

I’d love to. Not sure about certificates etc from and to Canada. I’ll pm you.
Mine by the way are always transplants too.

 

[Artorius]

@Decoy1
@heirloomgal sent seeds for me to my friend in London. All shipments reached her without any problems.

 

[Blue-Jay]

had the most wonderful surprise yesterday @Blue-Jay; one of the network beans, Blue & White of Bernardo, was hit pretty bad by whatever hit my bean gardens, but it started to look much better about a month ago. It never grew to the proper height, growing only to about 4 feet.

The good news is that under the lead canopy some pods did finally develop and are gaining in size. It's one of the few poles I didn't pull the plants out on, because it's still green enough that I don't think some rain will harm it. I found the first yellowed pod yesterday, and the seam had opened a little so I peeked inside seeing as it was opening already, probably because the humidity has been high and the pod had softened up. THE BEANS WERE GORGEOUS!!!! I was shocked because, as you know, the seeds in the packet were tan and white, so I expected the seeds to look like that. I actually wondered when I looked at the packet why the name had 'blue' in it? THESE ARE BLUE!!! And a really lovely blue at that. This is a really unique blue & white bean, I haven't seen anything else out there like it. Oh my gosh, I cannot believe this bean! I can't wait to take some photos of the fresh seed when the first bunch of dried pods come in. I guess this must be one of those beans that really changes color as it increases on dryness and age.

Wanted to shine a little light on this bean you offer @Blue-Jay , network Lambada. It really is something else! SO red!

I get Blue And White Of Bernardo from growers who tell me that when the seed is forming during warmer weather the seed color tends towards tan on this bean but when the weather is cooler and seed is forming the seed tends to be more blue.

The Lambada is a bean that has pods to behold when the seed in maturing. The pods are marked in such bright red. I love growing this bean.

On another note what size container do you start your pole beans when you are going to transplant them later into the garden?

 

[heirloomgal]

The Lambada is a bean that has pods to behold when the seed in maturing. The pods are marked in such bright red. I love growing this bean.

On another note what size container do you start your pole beans when you are going to transplant them later into the garden?

That the Bernardo beans are maturing now, later in the year than would be normal, makes sense then that they're turning out so blue if affected by cooler temps. I'm noticing as I shell the Tytania beans that they are both blue and slightly beige, which may also be related to temps I think. Another quality about Lambada that stands out - the dried seed are huge! I start the beans in just the regular size starter pots, I think those are about 4 inches across.

 

[Blue-Jay]

I start the beans in just the regular size starter pots, I think those are about 4 inches across.

Thank you for that info. I think I'm going to use 8.5 oz styro cups. A little bigger maybe than the 4 inch starter pots but I think close. Last year I used 16 oz styro cups. I was starting to go through potting mix pretty fast with that size. Looking forward to 2025.

 

[Decoy1]

Thank you for that info. I think I'm going to use 8.5 oz styro cups. A little bigger maybe than the 4 inch starter pots but I think close. Last year I used 16 oz styro cups. I was starting to go through potting mix pretty fast with that size. Looking forward to 2025.

I use deep celled propagation trays. Beans seem to like the deep shape without needing to use too much compost. They work very well and take up less space.