2017 Little Easy Bean Network – Everything Beans, Post It Here & Join The Fun

flowerbug

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@flowerbug

I keep a sample too except for Ralph Italian Heirloom. I wanted this bean so bad that I used every last seed trying to get it to germinate.

i have a lot of small amounts from crosses, i just have to risk it when growing and may lose some in the process. last year probably lost a few dozen crosses as i had only one bean to try and it was a bad year and very few made new seeds. i made up for it by finding new crosses to work with and having them survive such a bad year perhaps made them a stronger base to go forwards from?

the journey is fun enough. :) i just need 20acres and minions... lots of minions... :)
 

flowerbug

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had seeds sent to me from a garden friend from the south. not sure if the green beans he sent will be viable, very bad condition (most pre-sprouted), the cowpeas i've not usually had good luck with up here (they seem to need a longer season and a much drier finish than what i get), but i'll try a few anyways to see.

have room at last to get the seeds back out again and a nice large new box top to use as a sorting tray. *heart new toys* :) :) :)
 

flowerbug

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@flowerbug

I keep a sample too except for Ralph Italian Heirloom. I wanted this bean so bad that I used every last seed trying to get it to germinate.

oh, the other thing about keeping an older sample is you get to see how the beans change as they age.

like my tan goats eye selection it turns to a nice brown color you'd not know they were the same beans if you didn't have the experience...
 

aftermidnight

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And then there's these, Oland Island Brown bought from Ricthers...

The seed I bought looked like this...
DSCN3244.JPG

Freshly shelled dry seed...
DSCN3627.JPG

These actually change color right before your eyes, a couple of hours later they're all brown.
DSCN3524.JPG

I gave all my seed to Dan Jason (Salt Spring Seeds) I don't grow many bush beans, lack of space.

Annette
 

HmooseK

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@flowerbug

There might be one variety of Cowpea for your area you could try. It's called MN 157. The only person I know of who has seeds would be @Zeedman. I have a few seeds in the freezer at my Sisters house. She's a house cleaning nut so far all I know she threw them out. I need to ask her if my seeds are still there.
 

HmooseK

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I have a question for those of you who grow a lot of beans. I'm trying to figure out how to exactly say it.

For those who grow family heirlooms for snaps. The tender ones. Do you worry about growing some of commercial beans close by and possibly crossing your bean and make it tough?

Not trying to stir up a hornets nest or nothing. I was just thinking out loud and the possibility popped in my head.
 

HmooseK

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Dadgumit I'm wanting to plant. Not sure how much longer I can stand it. I'm as itchy as a dog with fleas. It's suppose to be 75 here today.
 

Blue-Jay

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I grow lots of beans. My snap beans I grow together in a group. So I think they will continue to be tender and stringless. So far I don't see that I have a lot of outcrossing. My dry beans are grown in another group. Bush types only with other bush types, and semi runners with other semi runners. Pole beans with other pole beans.
 

Ridgerunner

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Dadgumit I'm wanting to plant. Not sure how much longer I can stand it. I'm as itchy as a dog with fleas. It's suppose to be 75 here today.

@baymule when do you plant your beans in southeast Texas? You are always finished and have shipped your dried beans long before I'm ready. You have to get a much earlier start than me. I'm usually in early May when I plant.

Major posted this chart. Among other things it shows soil temps for germination. Minimum for beans is 60 though optimum is higher. Last year since I had a lot of seeds I planted Bluejay beans for my early bush snap beans pretty early and got great germination. I thought the soil was ready so i planted the seeds I was growing out for seeds, mostly cross-pollinated beans. It was supposed to rain so i thought it would be a great time to plant them. It stayed soaking wet for over a week and the temps dropped quite a bit that whole time. I think both temps and it staying that wet played a part in me getting horrible germination. The few that did germinate did great but I did a lot of replanting, probably about 85%.

https://www.theeasygarden.com/threa...-of-seeds-and-ph-levels-for-vegetables.21603/
 
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