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

[ruralmamma]

I think it really makes a difference which post office you are dealing with. A particular post office clerk might interpret what is required on customs labels differently. They just simply get picky. Sounds like your smaller post office is the place to go.

I find it really important to get an experienced person.

The clerk at the larger post office has been there for years and is probably close to retirement. Evidently her purpose is to treat every transaction with the scrutiny of a drill sergeant.

I seldom go to to post office where my mail comes from because it's eleven miles away in a direction I only travel a few times a month and is only open a few hours a day. We had a post office five miles away but the building owner wouldn't renew the lease with USPS and the community has been promised a new location for two years now. I pass two others on the way to town but really limited hours on those too. I guess that's one of the downsides to rural living.

 

[Decoy1]

Some bean photos for a rainy January day.
Last year I grew Rose for the HSL and two offtypes were identified.
First pic is the 'true' seed.
Offtype 1 produced tons of frosted seed, with blue-striped fleshy pods, a bit like Rattlesnake.
Offtype 2 didn't yield as much but had the earliest pods, which were curved and not fleshy.
Both offtypes were earlier than Rose and had pods without parchment.
View attachment 79462
View attachment 79463View attachment 79464

Are you planning to continue with either off-type? I’ve struggled with how late Rose is for two years running, so comparative earliness would be an advantage. But your true to type seeds are very bonnie.

 

[Dahlia]

Some bean photos for a rainy January day.
Last year I grew Rose for the HSL and two offtypes were identified.
First pic is the 'true' seed.
Offtype 1 produced tons of frosted seed, with blue-striped fleshy pods, a bit like Rattlesnake.
Offtype 2 didn't yield as much but had the earliest pods, which were curved and not fleshy.
Both offtypes were earlier than Rose and had pods without parchment.
View attachment 79462
View attachment 79463View attachment 79464

Bottom beans win the prize for most beautiful! I wonder which of these three wins for best flavor!?

 

[Triffid]

Are you planning to continue with either off-type? I’ve struggled with how late Rose is for two years running, so comparative earliness would be an advantage. But your true to type seeds are very bonnie.

I have an issue with Rose germinating in the pods, so I will be growing out the off-types to assess them. I think they have favourable characteristics for our climate. I'm hoping they were mutations that will stay true, rather than segregating crosses, as I wouldn't have the space to make a selection. OT#2 produced over 900 seeds! You're most welcome to a packet of each if you'd like to try them too.

 

[Triffid]

Bottom beans win the prize for most beautiful! I wonder which of these three wins for best flavor!?

I have no idea how the latter two taste, but I'll find out in 6 months

 

[Decoy1]

I have an issue with Rose germinating in the pods, so I will be growing out the off-types to assess them. I think they have favourable characteristics for our climate. I'm hoping they were mutations that will stay true, rather than segregating crosses, as I wouldn't have the space to make a selection. OT#2 produced over 900 seeds! You're most welcome to a packet of each if you'd like to try them too.

Thank you. How can I resist! Would you say there are two distinct types in the bottom picture - one more frosted than the other?

 

[Triffid]

OT#2 produced over 900 seeds!

I made a mistake here, I meant to write OT#1, i.e. picture 2.

Thank you. How can I resist! Would you say there are two distinct types in the bottom picture - one more frosted than the other?

Even though they appear to be a mix, they're from the same plant/s, with multiple colours found in the same pod. If you're referring to the frosted brown overlaid with darker speckles and stripes, then judging the seeds in front of me they're all like that, and the maroon seeds are the reverse counterpart.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I made a mistake here, I meant to write OT#1, i.e. picture 2.

Even though they appear to be a mix, they're from the same plant/s, with multiple colours found in the same pod. If you're referring to the frosted brown overlaid with darker speckles and stripes, then judging the seeds in front of me they're all like that, and the maroon seeds are the reverse counterpart.

Thank you, that answered my question. That one looks really interested, I've never seen that many reverses. And both of them very attractive. That could become famous if it stabilizes.

 

[Decoy1]

I made a mistake here, I meant to write OT#1, i.e. picture 2.

Even though they appear to be a mix, they're from the same plant/s, with multiple colours found in the same pod. If you're referring to the frosted brown overlaid with darker speckles and stripes, then judging the seeds in front of me they're all like that, and the maroon seeds are the reverse counterpart.

Ah yes, reverses. An unusually large proportion of reverses, as @Ridgerunner says.