Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Bean Varieties That I Grow

"DJC" asked me to list the varieties of beans that I grow. Well, I've grown quite a few. Over the years I've found some that do especially well at my locations, and others that I personally like for one reason or another. Every year I try new ones for the fun of it, sometimes discovering another one to add to my "grow it again and again" list. 

Here it goes, my grow-it-again list......

Rocdor
Black Valentine 
Maxibel
Savannah
Soleil
Velour
Purple Teepee
Red Swan
Jumbo
Rio Zappe
Painted Pony
Spanish Tolosna
Christmas Lima
Black Turtle

This year I plant to grow all of the above, but also a bit of these-----

Blue Lake FM1
Amerhyst
Carson
Tongue of Fire
Amarillo
Tavera
Nickel
Royal Burgundy
Good Mother Stallard
And most likely a few others that I haven't bought yet. 

I'm a sucker for a pretty bean. If it's got nice color, splashes, dots, or swirls, then it's caught my attention. 

2 comments:

  1. Wow, that's a lot! Do you save them for seed? If so, do you have trouble with cross-pollination?

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  2. I tend to grow small patches and stagger the plantings. Each week I go out and poke a dozen or so beans into a spot some where near the house. This way I always have some beans handy when I'm making lunch or dinner. Since it doesn't matter to us that it's a mix of different kinds, I just pick what's ready from a selection of plants.

    When I'm growing for selling or trading, or making a planting in the community garden which shares the harvest with a dozen volunteers, then in need to plant a large bed full. But for my own use, it's only a dozen beans sown once or twice a week.

    My bean seed production beds are separate from the eating beds. I cover the small beds (3' x3') with a screen cage when the plants begin to flower. That excludes the bees and other insects which can cause cross pollination. I could separate the rows by distance or timing, but I am finding that the simple screen cages to work out well for me.

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