French beans...I think

[lettuceleaf]

I honestly can't remember if they're french or dwarf beans, but they look like this. I am wondering if there is something wrong with them as they are striped red, or is this how they are supposed to look ? Does anyone know, please ?
If you click on the picture it will enlarge.

[zazen999]

Borlotti.

Well done you!

[lettuceleaf]

Wow ! Have looked on the internet and it says they're difficult to grow - so see what you mean.
These are too green at the moment, aren't they. Shouldn't the shells be white not green ? I shelled it and the bean is green inside and should be white and mottled, shouldn't it ? Will it grow if I resow an immature bean ? Sorry for all the questions but I had never heard of Borlotti beans. I've got loads more still unpicked. Shall wait until they're ripe.

[zazen999]

You can eat them now as green beans
You can wait until the beans start to colour and the pod starts to lose it's green-ness - eat them as shelley beans
You can leave them to get really fat, and use them as kidney beans [or freeze them and use them as kidneys - no need to soak, just give them a good boil before using them]
Or you can leave them on the plant until dry, once they are bone dry, store in a jar and when you want to use them in a chilli or stew or - well - any food - soak overnight and boil until 'mashable' before using in meals

They are very versatile.

[Llamas]

And yummy! I often use my runner beans in exatly the same way. I love dried beans. They're lovely boiled till squishy, then tossed with a mustardy herby dressing and some parsley!

[veggiechicken]

I have some beans like this but they are Selma Zebra Climbing bean. Here's a photo showing them with some Borlottis that seem to be redder.Mark's Veg Plot: Harvesting the "shelling" beans

[zazen999]

The borlottis get redder and the green disappears as the bean inside grows...i've got about 30 different varieties of beans that have the same pattern on the outside in various differing shades; but I took a gamble on them being Borlottis as they are the most common variety.

[lettuceleaf]

Thank you those above for the information. My unshelled beans do resemble more the Selma Zebra Climbing bean shown in your second picture, Mark. But at the moment the actual bean looks like the Borlotti Lingua di Fuoco shown on the plate. But that could be because they are not ripe yet. Once they are ripe they may turn a different colour. I'm quite confused, yet thrilled at the same time, I never knew there were so many varieties of bean. This was a first attempt. Do you think my green bean may turn a different colour when ripe?

[veggiechicken]

Its a shame that you can't cut through a bean and find its name in the middle, like a stick of rock

PS, Lettuceleaf, I'm not Mark - that's not my blog!! Just a photo I found by Goggling!

[zazen999]

Have you not got the original packet?

Not that it matters, the principle of eating or storing them is exactly the same.

[lettuceleaf]

Sorry, Veggie (can I call you that for short? ) Yes so much simpler if the bean had its name in the middle - perhaps one day...

I don't have the original packet. I could kick myself sometimes because I never seem to have kept the packet of the plant that I have a query with. I think I'm going to wait until they're ripe and then follow your instructions.

[veggiechicken]

Sorry, Veggie (can I call you that for short? ) Yes so much simpler if the bean had its name in the middle - perhaps one day...

I don't have the original packet. I could kick myself sometimes because I never seem to have kept the packet of the plant that I have a query with. I think I'm going to wait until they're ripe and then follow your instructions.

Call me whatever you like lettuceleaf
Zaz knows her beans, unlike me! I have lots of seeds and sowed 4 of each just to see what happened. So far I've picked 4 measly little beans, most of which looked like yours and were all grown in the greenhouse. Its not been a good year for me
So I haven't a clue how a Borlotti or a Selma develop Follow Zaz's advice and you won't go far wrong.

[Alison]

I usually grow loads of bolotti type beans for drying and storing over the winter. Had a massive crop last year and have eaten a lovely bean chilli with some I've still got left (also keeping some for resowing each year). Tend to grow a few different varieties as I like the look of the different colours in a meal. Unfortunately this year my plants are pants and I'll be lucky to get more than a couple of meal fulls from them

[Two_Sheds]

I never knew there were so many varieties of bean.

There are 100s.

Borlotti are easy to grow, they just need warmth like all French beans (which can be tall, dwarf or middling).

Here are some recipes to inspire you: http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ans_26962.html

[Nicos]

Goodness me!...mine are still flowering!!!!

Well done- they're brill to dry and store for winter use. I picked mine too early a couple of years ago- but left to dry on the plant, I got a massive supply for the winter.
Pretty aren't they???