Broad beans....I'm done!

[elleme]

Realseeds.co.uk sell the gigantes type runner beans I think Ryez. I quite fancy trying them myself.

I was a bit unimpressed with the crop I got from the mix of the Sutton and Crimson Flowered that I grew this year but I love broad beans so I'll probably be a mug and go for it again. They were greenhouse grown initially and then planted out in spring as I didnt take on my plot until late November. This year I'll do Aquadulce though and sow direct in October.

[Jay-ell]

Never bean a big fan of broad beans so only grew 6 plants from a garden centre this year but have gotten a reasonable crop off them.

Had a bit of a todo with my mother about shelling them as she never shelled them and neither did her mother . First she agreed that they looked better (bright green instead of grey) then agreed that they tasted better.

[Alison]

Gigantes are the beans I was talking about, actually I called them butter beans in case you didn't know the name cause is Greek, it means giant! They are my fav! Didn't know you can grow them in the UK, may ask where you find them, which kind you grow? I would really LIKE to try growing them!

The Gigantes that I've grown from Real Seeds are a type of runner bean, especially selected for their large bean seeds as opposed to tender pods. From what I can see they are a totally different variety of bean to butter beans but can be used in a similar way. Like all types of runners they grow well in the UK.

They are described on this page - Special Runner Bean vegetable seeds to buy from The Real Seed Catalogue UK

[happyhumph]

Thanks to this thread I now have to get OH to build supporting frames for gigates next year as well as find a space for stereo broad beans.

I shouldn't come on this site, it's a bad influence on me l

[ecudc]

I didn't know you could grow Gigantes in the uk....that's made my day. Looks like I'll be having to dig up another bed for those next year

[bobbin]

Ooh I say glad we're all chatting. So from my rusty bean disaster we all know about Gigantes now,result!I could be tempted to try them next year.
All we have to worry about now is....well.....rust!

[happyhumph]

We've all strayed a bit off topic haven't we!

[Ryez]

oh my!! Greek gigantes can grow in the UK. Thanks so much for the info! My mom used to make them with tomato sauce and olive oil in the oven, and serve them with feta cheese, of course! The main thing, if you are cooking from dry, is to let them in the water overnight, as this will reduce the cooking time.

[Alison]

As I said, Gigantes are just a type of runner beans so if you can grow them then you can grow Gigantes and as far as I'm aware that's anywhere in he UK.

[Ryez]

Yes, at this point I am aware of 3 types of runner beans. The first are the ones we usually grow for the pods, as the seeds are quite small. Then there is Gigantes, which I never seen fresh in my life, only dry, and they have massive seeds. And then there is another type, where the seeds are medium size. The pods swell a lot and you can just snap them and empty the seeds in a bucket. We used to cook bean soup with those or again use them in salads.