2018 Little Easy Bean Network - Join Us In Saving Amazing Heirloom Beans
- Thread starter Blue-Jay
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flowerbug
Garden Master
i certainly understand, hate risking everything on one season or one planting...
HmooseK
Garden Addicted
Well, the young fellow that was supposed to till up my garden, broke his arm, so I'm on my own. I'm not physically able, so all I can do is scratch a few spots in the ground around the yard. I'm disappointed, but I'll survive.
Today I planted three varieties. They are probably too close together, but it was the best I could do. They are about 15 feet apart.
4 Hoteko
4 Oaxacan Cream
8 Chestnut Flavored
Today I planted three varieties. They are probably too close together, but it was the best I could do. They are about 15 feet apart.
4 Hoteko
4 Oaxacan Cream
8 Chestnut Flavored
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Eleanor
Deeply Rooted
The other day I learned a cool new word and now I have a use for it! Cleistogamy - the botanical feature of beans (and peas, peanuts, ... ) such that their flowers are designed to auto-pollinate before they even open. This means your 15' spacing is more than likely okay. If you are really worried about it, plant a barrier crop between them that is really attractive to pollinators such as buckwheat or lacy phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia) or hyssop or...
saritabee
Deeply Rooted
So I've had pretty good luck getting bean seed to sprout between two damp microfiber cloths, in one of those clear 2-lb spinach tubs, under a grow light.
But holy bejeebers -- I put Mugungi, Gordo, and Harriet's Black Hook in a tub yesterday morning, and just came home to find 4 of 6 Gordo had sprouted, and 7 of 7 Mugungi. Two of the five very old-looking Harriet's seeds had sprouted as well! (One doesn't look super healthy, but still...)
But holy bejeebers -- I put Mugungi, Gordo, and Harriet's Black Hook in a tub yesterday morning, and just came home to find 4 of 6 Gordo had sprouted, and 7 of 7 Mugungi. Two of the five very old-looking Harriet's seeds had sprouted as well! (One doesn't look super healthy, but still...)
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Blue-Jay
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@saritabee,
Is it warm enough where you live to plant outside already? I won't be planting here until late May or early June. Some of my bush bean plantings could even be pushed off as late as the 17th of June.
Is it warm enough where you live to plant outside already? I won't be planting here until late May or early June. Some of my bush bean plantings could even be pushed off as late as the 17th of June.
reedy
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@Bluejay77
I think I'v picked out what I want to grow this year.
From Grow Out lists
-Small Speckled Bunch (semi runner)
-Pink Early (semi runner)
-Mrs. Maud's (pole Lima)
-Dr. Martin's (pole Lima)
Other Selections
-Snowstorm (pole Lima)
-Rosie Clare (pole Lima)
Question: I don't mind if mine get mixed up some but how much separation should I shoot for on the grow-out Limas?
I think I'v picked out what I want to grow this year.
From Grow Out lists
-Small Speckled Bunch (semi runner)
-Pink Early (semi runner)
-Mrs. Maud's (pole Lima)
-Dr. Martin's (pole Lima)
Other Selections
-Snowstorm (pole Lima)
-Rosie Clare (pole Lima)
Question: I don't mind if mine get mixed up some but how much separation should I shoot for on the grow-out Limas?
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Blue-Jay
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@reedy,
Wow you have a lot of limas in your selections this year. Since you got two semi runners I would treat those like pole beans and seperate the limas with runners in between them. Two plantings of semi runners then one planting of a pole lima. What did you grow last year? Maybe you could use some of what you grew last year to seperate the limas also. I would set your pole plantings also about 5 feet apart in the row and maybe have your rows about six feet apart. I think you had Burgundy Bolitas and Crystal Wax last year. I think those were semi runners that you could also treat as a pole bean this time around.
Wow you have a lot of limas in your selections this year. Since you got two semi runners I would treat those like pole beans and seperate the limas with runners in between them. Two plantings of semi runners then one planting of a pole lima. What did you grow last year? Maybe you could use some of what you grew last year to seperate the limas also. I would set your pole plantings also about 5 feet apart in the row and maybe have your rows about six feet apart. I think you had Burgundy Bolitas and Crystal Wax last year. I think those were semi runners that you could also treat as a pole bean this time around.
reedy
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@Bluejay77
Yea, I want to up my collection of Limas. I have two gardens about 150' feet apart. It seems to me that Limas are more prone to crossing than common beans. I think I'll put the grow out Limas and only them in one garden at opposite ends, about 75' apart. That way I can put some other pole beans and corn in between. I'll just separate the others by alternating with common pole beans in the other garden.
Here is a list of what else I'm planning to grow from my own seeds. These are semi isolated cause we like them to be uniform for canning or fresh green beans. I still get crossing I just cull out off types when I save seeds. Variable maturity also helps with preventing too much crossing.
Provider Bush
Contender Bush
Top Crop Bush
KY Wonder Pole
NT 1/2 Runner Pole
Blue Lake Pole
Ohio Pole
Little Brown Greasy Pole
New from last year - Refugee Semi runner ( we really liked these!)
That's about all I have room for to keep good separation in different spots in the gardens. I have 20 or so others that I like to keep pure that won't be grown this year.
I also grow a mix up of pole beans for dry beans. It includes all the out-crosses I come across plus a bunch of other varieties whose names I'v forgotten. This mix is getting so big I may make a third smaller garden just for it.
I'm not gonna grow any other Limas this year, just the grow-outs and the other two new ones.
Yea, I want to up my collection of Limas. I have two gardens about 150' feet apart. It seems to me that Limas are more prone to crossing than common beans. I think I'll put the grow out Limas and only them in one garden at opposite ends, about 75' apart. That way I can put some other pole beans and corn in between. I'll just separate the others by alternating with common pole beans in the other garden.
Here is a list of what else I'm planning to grow from my own seeds. These are semi isolated cause we like them to be uniform for canning or fresh green beans. I still get crossing I just cull out off types when I save seeds. Variable maturity also helps with preventing too much crossing.
Provider Bush
Contender Bush
Top Crop Bush
KY Wonder Pole
NT 1/2 Runner Pole
Blue Lake Pole
Ohio Pole
Little Brown Greasy Pole
New from last year - Refugee Semi runner ( we really liked these!)
That's about all I have room for to keep good separation in different spots in the gardens. I have 20 or so others that I like to keep pure that won't be grown this year.
I also grow a mix up of pole beans for dry beans. It includes all the out-crosses I come across plus a bunch of other varieties whose names I'v forgotten. This mix is getting so big I may make a third smaller garden just for it.
I'm not gonna grow any other Limas this year, just the grow-outs and the other two new ones.
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Blue-Jay
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@reedy,
You will have a pretty good grow out of beans for sure. Can you please pick another bean to replace "Early Pink" I have sent out all the seed of that one already.
You will have a pretty good grow out of beans for sure. Can you please pick another bean to replace "Early Pink" I have sent out all the seed of that one already.
