Kitchen Garden Forum

i dont think the americans were any worse than anyone else. if you read any history similar things have happened all over throughout history, (and are still happening) just makes me realise how lucky we are to be living in a relitavly stable society in relative peace, the question is what can we do about the rest of the world? i,m afraid the realistic answere is not a lot ,

My first posting in this forum, as I have just joined. Hi, everyone!
Climbing French Beans are my favourite crop: they get themselves safely out of the reach of our numerous slugs; they go on producing without my having to do anything; if I haven't got time or forget to pick them in the summer, then the beans dry themselves off and provide goodies for the winter. Plus there is something about wigwams of beans that makes a veg garden look really good - perhaps because they add the dimension of height?
I have joined the Heritage Seed arm of Henry Doubleday, and have got quite a lot of beans from there. The one I like best is Ryders Top O The Pole - it is very vigorous and produces masses, is good fresh, and the beans are excellent canellini for the winter stews. I sowed Extra Hatif de Juillet this year, which produced tiny little green beans which were a bit chewy fresh - perhaps they need to be picked really small for fresh use? The dry beans are tiny haricots, looking lovely, but a pain to pod. Cherokee is great, very productive and a lovely colour for bean salads.
I also had a yellow podded one, perhaps Goldmarie? I wasn't sure. But it is lovely fresh and keeps its golden colour after being frozen. I use this one for freezing and Cosse Violette for fresh - delicious.
I also have runner bean Czar solely for its dried beans, which are exactly like butter beans and very tasty.
I love Borlotti, but they clearly need to be sown from good fresh seed. I used old stock last spring and germination was awful. But they are a great casserole bean.
Dwarf beans get very sluggy, but I love Jacob's Cattle for its nice name and its pretty markings. I got Early Dwarf Warwick from HDRA this year, which matured its dry beans usefully early at the beginning of August. It looks like Borlotti and I shall definitely sow it again next year.
Alison.

Dear Alison, a very warm welcome.
And what a good first posting, very informative and pleasing to read.

Kind regards Old Herbaceous.

Theres no fool like an old fool

Hello Alison - Welcome to the club. I'm a relative newbie myself and it's always interesting to learn of the experience of others. Please keep your contributions coming !

Hi Oldherbaceous/Alison,

I agree with you OH, very informative . Hi ALison, I do like the sound of the runner bean Czar were can I buy some please.

Regards


Kevin

Kevin wrote:Hi Oldherbaceous/Alison,

I agree with you OH, very informative . Hi ALison, I do like the sound of the runner bean Czar were can I buy some please.

Regards


Kevin

I've seen it in T&M and Tuckers and I think the Organic catalogue. (Tuckers I use most, as I love the fact that you can seal up the seed-packet again after sowing, which stops the left-overs from going everywhere.)
Alison.

Hi Kevin,
Czar Bean in Tuckers 2007 Catalogue which I received this morning (Wednesday) and although Butter Beans come from the Lima Bean which is not successful in UK conditions the very best next thing is as Alison says Czar. I used to grow these many moons ago and they are really super. I think I may have another crack at them this year myself. Early in the season when there are only a few beans available I used to
eat the young beans but as the season progressed and they were more about I just left Czar to produce seed and feasted on the others.
If you like Butter Beans then these I know you will be pleased with.
JB.