Grow Your Own Magazine

Martyn Legg · #1 (**permalink**) 09-05-2008, 05:42 PM

Hi, have any of you grown borlotto beans at all & if so are they any different or difficult to grow?
All tips greatfuly rcd!

Thanks, M

amandaandherveg · #2 (**permalink**) 09-05-2008, 05:48 PM

I just got some yesterday, not planted them yet, need to know how tall they grow.

smallblueplanet · #3 (**permalink**) 09-05-2008, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amandaandherveg

....need to know how tall they grow.

That depends on whether they're dwarf or climbing borlotto.

Martyn Legg · #4 (**permalink**) 09-05-2008, 05:59 PM

Ordered mine from Seeds of Italy, spent a wonderful fortnight eating them there so thought I'd try to grow my own. It'll be interesting to see what happens!

M

smallblueplanet · #5 (**permalink**) 09-05-2008, 06:01 PM

We've grown a couple of SoI borlotto beans - Lamon & Lingua de Fuoca (sp?) - they're no more difficult to grow than other climbing beans (ours were the climbing variety). They are very tasty, love 'em freshly shelled. We freeze our excess, rather than dry them as they taste nicer.

Two_Sheds · #6 (**permalink**) 09-05-2008, 07:16 PM

They are very tall, very heavy, greedy plants - they need tall strong canes to grow up (I stop mine at 6 ft, because I am only 5 ft tall) , plenty of compost in the planting hole too.
They take a longer time to ripen (for dried beans they're ready in October) than other French Beans, so I've started mine off earlier this year.

wellie · #7 (**permalink**) 09-05-2008, 08:05 PM

My understanding of Borlotti Beans (climbing, not dwarf) is that they prefer NOT a rich soil, or you get too much leaf, and not enough pod. But I'm willing to be advised otherwise and then stand corrected!

I grew them for the first time last year, and adored them SO much (fresh, and then dried throughout the winter) that I've recently sown 100 of them in modules, which germinated really well, and have planted out the first 28 to grow up 8ft canes this very afternoon..... YIPPEE!

If I can be of help in your growing of them, I'd be only too delighted... but I'm a relative novice myself, so only have limited knowledge peeps!

(PS. Prod me with a big stick via Private Message if I don't get back to this thread when you want me to, as I've got a lot on at the minute!)
XX

Two_Sheds · #8 (**permalink**) 09-05-2008, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wellie

My understanding of Borlotti Beans (climbing, not dwarf) is that they prefer NOT a rich soil, or you get too much leaf, and not enough pod.

potash for fruit/beans, nitrogen for leaf. The purpose of the composted planting hole is more to conserve moisture than for feeding purposes.

wellie · #9 (**permalink**) 09-05-2008, 09:09 PM

Sorry Sheds, .... what I wrote did read wrong out loud, when it got outside of my brain! What I meant was loads of nutrient-rich soil. Compost-rich soil is ALWAYS good... X

gojiberry · #10 (**permalink**) 09-05-2008, 09:39 PM

I have some of the seeds of Italy borlotto beans (firetongue) and they are the climbing ones. Going to plant them out on a bean frame tomorrow.

Ian

Alice · #11 (**permalink**) 09-05-2008, 11:21 PM

I'm groing them for the first time this year. Interesting to see how we all get on. Good luck everyody.

Martyn Legg · #12 (**permalink**) 10-05-2008, 05:51 PM

Well all, thanks for the advice. Just planted 60 & managed to slash my palm with my super sharp penknife as I'm planting these through a membrane! Clever huh? Anyway I agree, these beans are delicous and I'm already sat here thinking of a nice red with a full body & good finish (no not the wife)... roll on july. 'sdifficult typing with one hand whilst wiping blood off the laptop...

Be careful out there, it's deadly, M

Demeter · #13 (**permalink**) 10-05-2008, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martyn Legg

Be careful out there, it's deadly, M

Ha - I had my first blood yesterday - bashed my head on the allotment sign while trying to catch a chicken!

wellie · #14 (**permalink**) 11-05-2008, 12:46 AM

No, please, shoot me.... I'm not sure where my brain has gone.
Borlotti Beans ALLEGEDLY prefer a poor soil, and that's what I was trying to say in amongst my tiredeness. And that is exactly how I shall be growing mine this year, given that I gave them too much richness last year, and ended up with more leaf than pod.

Paulottie · #15 (**permalink**) 11-05-2008, 02:18 AM

Wellie, I certainly know what you mean and wouldn't wish to shoot you sweetheart! You are right Beans fix nitrogen from the air and don't require manured ground

I dig out a doughnut, Fill it up with compost (straw or newspaper would do), place my wigwam of canes water it till it looks like a moat , replace the topsoil /plant the beans.

Ours did very well last year, we didn't eat many in the pod as we had so many other sorts of bean. Just left them to it really. I will say that they take a long time to ripen on the vine though when hervesting for haricots and we found that with the wet Autumn one lot began to get moudy...Had to get them in quick smart.

Martyn Legg · #16 (**permalink**) 11-05-2008, 08:40 AM

Quote

I dig out a doughnut, Fill it up with compost (straw or newspaper would do), place my wigwam of canes water it till it looks like a moat , replace the topsoil /plant the beans.

Is'nt that a waste of a perfectly good doughnut?

M

wellie · #17 (**permalink**) 11-05-2008, 09:25 PM

Paulottie, you're a Gentleman. X

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