2018 Little Easy Bean Network - Join Us In Saving Amazing Heirloom Beans

[Zeedman]

I'm growing a couple of new to me white seeded beans for the Network collection, Starlite and White-Seeded Kentucky Wonder. After reading this thread, I feel like they were poor choices. But maybe they are more tender.

The White-Seeded Kentucky Wonder is not a bad choice at all. The snaps need to be picked young before strings develop... but given that, they are tender, and very flavorful. WSKW also can be incredibly productive, as illustrated by the single plant in the photo below.

Kentucky Wonder White

This wasn't intended to be a single plant; a whole row was planted, but rabbits destroyed most of them (I changed my fencing next year to prevent a recurrence). The silver lining is that it allowed KWW to show its maximum potential.

 

[flowerbug]

i did get out and picked some of the lima beans. surprised that they were not rotting as much as i feared. i also picked enough green ones to steam some up and enjoyed them thoroughly. Mom's having some now...

i got about 1/3 of the way through the lima bean patch before i had to give up. it was still hot and humid out there along with mosquitoes.

i came in and sorted the greenies out and shelled them. the ones that were further along are divided into a few box tops for drying. so far in shelling they are looking very good compared to last year (where i had so many beans that didn't fully form). so that's a good sign as long as i can get the rest of them picked this week and dried... the weather looks promising and cooler. which i really need to be able to pick through everything.

in my earlier today picking i did get some various dry beans of the network beans. i'm pretty sure i have some viable seeds in there so that a good start. i was a bit worried that a few plants were so small that they weren't going to have any seeds at all. i was also worried that the heat really kept most of them from having seeds at all. the story continues... just starting harvest for the most part...

 

[flowerbug]

i got out for an hour this morning and finished going through the lima bean patch and some of the other beans too. i'm going to have some fun today shelling and getting some set aside to further dry.

raining again now, a few minute squall just popped up out of the sorta light rain we had going - we've been drenched again. i'm really ready for the next two days of sunshine or even dry weather - during those i should be able to get most of the rest of the patches at least looked at and triaged for bean pod rescue if needed.

 

[ninnymary]

The White-Seeded Kentucky Wonder is not a bad choice at all. The snaps need to be picked young before strings develop... but given that, they are tender, and very flavorful. WSKW also can be incredibly productive, as illustrated by the single plant in the photo below.
View attachment 28170
Kentucky Wonder White

This wasn't intended to be a single plant; a whole row was planted, but rabbits destroyed most of them (I changed my fencing next year to prevent a recurrence). The silver lining is that it allowed KWW to show its maximum potential.

Trying to figure out how you have those pole beans standing up? I see the string horizontally but non vertically. To the right of the picture I see twine going up but no beans climbing it. Figured there has to be twine going up so those beans can climb it.

Mary

 

[Sam BigDeer]

Trying to figure out how you have those pole beans standing up? I see the string horizontally but non vertically. Mary

Mary, note the vertical, green color, steel post about 1/4 of picture width from left edge...
Sam

 

[ninnymary]

Mary, note the vertical, green color, steel post about 1/4 of picture width from left edge...
Sam

I see it but it looks like that is just holding up the horizontal strings. I don't see any strings going up the beans.

Mary

 

[Sam BigDeer]

I see it but it looks like that is just holding up the horizontal strings. I don't see any strings going up the beans. Mary

....
O.K., I'm sorry that I commented; I do apologize..
Sam

 

[ninnymary]

....
O.K., I'm sorry that I commented; I do apologize..
Sam

Nothing to apologize for. You were trying to help me which I appreciate.

Mary

 

[flowerbug]

Nothing to apologize for. You were trying to help me which I appreciate.

Mary

looks to me that it is using the red strings.

 

[Zeedman]

Trying to figure out how you have those pole beans standing up? I see the string horizontally but non vertically. To the right of the picture I see twine going up but no beans climbing it. Figured there has to be twine going up so those beans can climb it.

Mary

The vertical strings are sisal baling twine, just like the empty string visible to the right. The bean runners have almost completely engulfed the string they are climbing, which they usually do. The horizontal strings are red baling twine. The plastic twine is stronger, and gives the vertical strings stability (they are wrapped around it on the way up) but I don't use it for the verticals, because some beans are reluctant to climb plastic.

The top of the trellis is not visible in the photo. There are 1.25" PVC T's on the top of each fence post, with 3/8" rebar rod running through the T's from pole to pole. Another piece of 3/8" rebar is tied to the poles about 8" above the ground; the vertical strings are tied around the rebar on both ends. This trellis structure is easily adjusted to any length & is very strong, I have never had a trellis fail, even in strong winds.