Dried Beans

**nick the grief** · 09-01-2007, 09:07 PM

Good in soups & stews as well Sue

**Poledragon** · 09-01-2007, 09:11 PM

Try pea beans in chili - they look great! And taste good too.

**supersprout** · 10-01-2007, 04:49 AM

Last year my son brought some supermarket beans (gigantes) back from Greece and asked me to grow them. I didn't expect much - older gardening books say that butter beans don't like the cold European climate - but they cropped well and we'll grow them again next year from saved seed. Perhaps climate change is working in our favour?

I'm with you Sue, the difference in taste and texture between home and commercially grown ones makes dried beans well worth growing. We were so chuffed with last year's crop

**Snadger** · 10-01-2007, 06:44 AM

Well done supersprout! I grew butter beans last year as well but only planted a dozen. Very much like runner beans I got maybe 1.5 Kilo off them. Unfortunately I froze them!

Do you think the dried butter beans you buy for cooking would be ok to plant?

**Lesley Jay** · 10-01-2007, 06:46 AM

Snadger I read on one forum (yes I do read others!) that someone did and got a good crop.

**supersprout** · 10-01-2007, 06:52 AM

Soak beans overnight, drain, put into a jar and rinse twice a day. If they sprout, they'll grow

It's not all sunshine and roses - the boring bean beetle can find and infest stored dried beans

It pays to be vigilant - if you spot a damaged bean, freeze or bottle the unaffected ones

**madderbat** · 10-01-2007, 07:01 AM

I grew supermarket chickpeas some years ago, completely by accident. I soaked them for cooking and left them too long one hot spring. They sprouted, so I planted them. Made a lovely looking plant, but unfortunately I moved before I could crop them. Often wondered what happened!

**Bex** · 10-01-2007, 07:08 AM

I'm a complete novice when it comes to eating beans let alone growing them although I do like them. What varieties are suitable for drying? I'm growing broad beans for eating straightaway and would love to store some longer term, what should I be looking for?
Thanks

**Hans Mum** · 10-01-2007, 08:41 AM

Me too bex, would like to know varieties, and storage tips
thanks

**supersprout** · 10-01-2007, 09:41 AM

This might be a good start?
http://www.tuckers-seeds.co.uk/produ...8410d0acc57a8a
Bex, are you thinking of broadies used as in Middle Eastern dishes (ful or ful mesdames)? We grow broadies in succession as long as we can, because we eat the wee pods at little finger size (rather than full grown or dried) - but dried, the beans should be fine for ful mesdames.

The last of the BBC2 series 'Grow Your Own Veg' on 9 Feb refers to storing the harvest, they might have something about drying beans

I've tried several varieties, but keep coming back to borlotti mmmmm

and those fat white beans are on the family favourites list since last year

**Poledragon** · 10-01-2007, 03:39 PM

I grew some lima beans in the greenhouse this year as apparently they don't like the cold either. With hindsight, they would have probably done just fine outdoors where all the other beans wilted and failed. But they're lovely, and also known as giant butterbeans.

Hope that picture thing works....

**supersprout** · 10-01-2007, 04:02 PM

Oh those are so pretty! Do you know the variety

If anyone hasn't discovered Beans and Herbs - another friendly specialist company - do take a look

They are happy to answer individual bean questions
www.beansandherbs.co.uk

**Alice** · 10-01-2007, 04:44 PM

Thanks for the link Supersprout. Will do a bit of research there.

What kind of beans did you grow Sue. How did you dry them . Please tell us a bit more. I love beans.
.

**Poledragon** · 10-01-2007, 05:00 PM

The beans are Christmas Pole Limas, and I've a few going spare if anyone wants half a dozen to try.

Have also got some white seeded Cherokee Trail of Tears - it does white flowers too. And about a squillion other bean varieties, but I'm a sucker for a pretty bean. Worst thing that happened last year though, was that I was given a handful of beans, that turned out to be a phenomenally cropping bush French type, and I have no idea what it's called! Shall dig them out for a photo session and post here to see if anyone can identify them. Doesn't really matter in the eating, as I'll be growing them again this year, but I'd like to know, for the sake of what's left of my sanity.

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