yard long beans

[mandylew]

has anybody grown these, i just picked up a packet today in the t&m italian collection, it says they are not a true bean and can be eaten raw, grows to 1.8m slim pods up to 45cm long i'm intruiged, but dont want a big disappointmwent, last year i grew cherokee trail of tears thinking they would be a fantastic crop, and they were just imo like any other climbing bean

mandy

[alan refail]

Sorry to disappoint - probably.
I have grown yard-long beans several times, without much success. They are a semi-tropical plant and will not grow outdoors here. They need a greenhouse or polytunnel, and even then they struggle. They need something to climb and if you get beans they are tasteless. I have eaten them in tropical places where they grow like weeds and they were delicious. But T&M should be shot if they don't point out that at the very least Italian temperatures are needed to get any worthwhile crop. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vigna_ungu ... quipedalis
If I were you I'd stick to climbing French Beans. Trail of Tears are delicious eaten young, but soon go stringy. By the way what made you think Trail of Tears would be any different from other French Beans?

Cofion gorau - Regards

Alan

[Jenny Green]

If these are the same thing as snake beans, then I've tried them but agree with Alan - not worth the effort. They struggled in my unheated greenhouse. I don't think they even flowered.
Often if something isn't widely grown it's for a good reason.

[Chantal]

Well this would explain why my effort didn't get more than a yard off the floor and managed a few flowers but no beans. I thought I'd done something wrong.

Mandylew, I wouldn't bother if I were you.

[alan refail]

Jenny and Chantal

Typical experience with Yard-long/Snake beans

We agree, I think - Don't bother with them.

Alan

[mandylew]

Thanks for that, i think i'll send them to t&m and ask for something that will grow, If they dont do well in other parts of the country, ive no chance in tyne and wear!

Mandy

[Jenny Green]

Shame really. They're nice to eat if grown in a hot country.

[Tigger]

I'm going to try them this year, but it's not looking promising!!!????!!!!!

[alan refail]

Brave Tigger

Pray for a hot year.

Alan