How many beans can 3 people eat?

[BarleySugar]

Not necessarily a serious question, especially as OH and Son No2 aren't particularly keen.
However I've just gone a bit overboard on sowing. I planted 16 each of Firestorm and Moonlight runners, then got a bit carried away with the others.
Climbers - Rattlesnake (15), cranberry (30), turkey craw (15), cobra (20), blauhilde (20).
Dwarf - brighstone (20), purple tepee (15), speedy (10).

They don't take up much space at the moment, 9 loo rolls to a square plastic mushroom punnet, 9 punnets, double seeded (well some have 2 decent ones and a weedy looking one). I usually put 2 climbers to one support, but I haven't got 66 canes I think I will need to do strings for some of them (stuff that won't rot in the drought).

It's all the fault of the seed swaps you understand, I have to give each variety a chance

[alldigging]

Have you got enough garden for them?

Sounds like you might have a few too many for just 3 people - unless you turn some of them into bean chutney...

Your neighbours will be sick of beans too after a while... but freecycle will help if that happens!

[BarleySugar]

My allotment is only half a plot, and son no2 and DD's boyfriend got a bit over enthusiastic when they planted the spuds (took up an extra bed ). They both prefer potatoes to beans I think.
I promised not to grow beans at home this year, because they always get blown across the path and people don't like fighting their way through . I'll save some for drying I think, if I can find somewhere to put them all. I made some lovely bean chutney with some of last's year's crop.
Mind you I do love both runners and green beans, hot with dinners or cooked and cold in salads. DD probably won't be around much to help me eat them this summer.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Blimey I harvested over a 100lbs of runners last year from 16 plants. Sounds to me that it's beans with everything for you this year.

Colin

[Bren In Pots]

I thought I'd sown a lot of beans but you win If you're doing string have a look at this :- http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/members/pea_netting.php I'm having a go for my sweet peas.

[alex-adam]

Hi BarleySugar - I think you've bean and overdone it a bit !!

Where did you get the Rattlesnake beans, please?

a-a

[BarleySugar]

The rattlesnakes were from the virtual seed parcel. I'm hoping to save some for swaps this year, I think they are a heritage variety.

If all the seeds grow I might pass a few of them around some of the novice plotholders on our site.

[Alison]

That is a lot of beans if you want to eat them all fresh but you can dry quite a few of them and eat the seeds over the winter as you would with kidney beans etc. Also, you don't need a cane for each plant, I always grow two up each one with no problems as long as you prepare the ground OK.

[alex-adam]

The rattlesnakes were from the virtual seed parcel. I'm hoping to save some for swaps this year, I think they are a heritage variety.

If all the seeds grow I might pass a few of them around some of the novice plotholders on our site.

Thanks BS - I've only seen them listed in American catalogues, I have grown Bridgewater, which seems to be a similar bean.

[taff]

they look like a borlotti type bean

[Two_Sheds]

I love Bridgewater, it's a beautiful bean and easy to spot amongst the foliage (it's black)


I grow 100s of beans, and eat the majority dried, as kidney beans ~ I don't really like them fresh

Recipes? http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ans_26962.html

[alldigging]

Blimey I harvested over a 100lbs of runners last year from 16 plants. Sounds to me that it's beans with everything for you this year.

Colin

What tips do you have?

[hamamelis]

I have the opposite problem- I'd just started putting them out on the blowaway to start hardening off a few days ago, and realised I'd left everything out, late last night- nipped out in my pyjamas, and it was slugmageddon out there!
I've really never seen so many slugs and snails in such a small area before, which is weird, 'cos there've been plants in there for weeks, and they've had almost no damage... but I've literally got a few stumps left, out of all my lovely beans

Oh well, still plenty of time to re-sow.

[Farmer_Gyles]

pick, slice, blanche and freeze .... you can have beans all year round ....

[BarleySugar]

I do The only way OH and son no2 will eat them as a green veg really is in veg curries. I pack beans, diced courgette, ripe skinned tomatoes and some chopped chilli to make a curry pack, then add madras curry paste at cooking time. It works better that way than cooking it first, so they say. Think they should really have it every day though