2019 Little Easy Bean Network - Come And Reawaken The Thrill Of Discovery

[Blue-Jay]

This year I was growing Stoltzfus String beans. I probably received and planted the crossed seeds, because now I have a mix of colors. Which ones are the most similar to the true Stoltzfus String bean? If you can, please help me.

I sowed these seeds.

Did you keep back any of the original Stoltzfus String seeds. They were still like the original seeds even though they had new genetic information. Now your new seeds might have some that are like the original, but the question is what do you have to compare the new seeds to.

 

[flowerbug]

From time to time reed still grows. It's hard to fight it because the rhizomes are deep in the ground. Nearby there is a whole field covered with reeds. There was a regularly mown meadow around 30 years ago. Nature regains what has been taken from her.

I envy you those events where you can swap seeds. There are no such in Poland.
I once wrote to Sustainable Mountain Agriculture Center because I wanted to buy Hazard Fall bean and maybe others, but I didn't get any answer. I'm stubborn, I will try again soon.

it can all start with a single bean sprout of an idea. if you are near a city that helps a lot more than being stuck further out in the country. also perhaps speak to your local library and ask them if they would be willing to help out with a seed library. if you have bulletin boards to put up notes, etc.

 

[Blue-Jay]

@Decoy1,

I've been browsing through some of the old postings today, and I noticed a question you asked about Wesley Railroad Spike being related to Tennessee Wonder. I don't think I ever answered your question. Well I really don't know, but the seed coats are so much alike, and the twisty seeds are very similar. Seed coat patterns are repeatable for sure. So that might be as far as the relation of the two beans goes. The best way to find out would to do a complete DNA profile on both varieties. I wonder how much that costs?

 

[flowerbug]

This year I was growing Stoltzfus String beans. I probably received and planted the crossed seeds, because now I have a mix of colors. Which ones are the most similar to the true Stoltzfus String bean? If you can, please help me.

I sowed these seeds.

View attachment 33913

I harvested such seeds.

View attachment 33914

View attachment 33915

View attachment 33916

View attachment 33917

View attachment 33918

Certainly these are not seeds from pics 3 and 5.

this is where the fun begins, because you have no idea of any of those are actually edible string beans any more until you grow them out again. likely the first after the original look the closest IMO.

if you have space grow a selection from each of them out and compare the flavor and habits to some of the original seeds that you can grow.

 

[flowerbug]

@Decoy1,

I've been browsing through some of the old postings today, and I noticed a question you asked about Wesley Railroad Spike being related to Tennessee Wonder. I don't think I ever answered your question. Well I really don't know, but the seed coats are so much alike, and the twisty seeds are very similar. Seed coat patterns are repeatable for sure. So that might be as far as the relation of the two beans goes. The best way to find out would to do a complete DNA profile on both varieties. I wonder how much that costs?

i'd love to do that for every bean i've had or seen and get a family tree built.

 

[Spork]

@Raiquee,

Yes....I do have Kutasi Princess.

Do you sell them?

 

[flowerbug]

Did you keep back any of the original Stoltzfus String seeds. They were still like the original seeds even though they had new genetic information. Now your new seeds might have some that are like the original, but the question is what do you have to compare the new seeds to.

i always try to keep a few if the seeds might be ambiguous enough that i wouldn't be sure of the results.

 

[Artorius]

Did you keep back any of the original Stoltzfus String seeds. They were still like the original seeds even though they had new genetic information. Now your new seeds might have some that are like the original, but the question is what do you have to compare the new seeds to.

Bluejay, I had 11 seeds, I sowed all of them. I only have a photo to compare. The seeds get darker over time, so the ones in the second photo may be correct, but I'm not sure.

 

[Artorius]

this is where the fun begins, because you have no idea of any of those are actually edible string beans any more until you grow them out again. likely the first after the original look the closest IMO.

if you have space grow a selection from each of them out and compare the flavor and habits to some of the original seeds that you can grow.

Flowerbug, It will be fun indeed. New year, new challenges.
Maybe I'll contact the owner of Happy Cat Farm from Kennett Square, PA. It's his family bean.

 

[flowerbug]

Flowerbug, It will be fun indeed. New year, new challenges.
Maybe I'll contact the owner of Happy Cat Farm from Kennett Square, PA. It's his family bean.

even if they don't ever get back to you i can say from my own experience that i'm always happy to hear from people.

i let everything open pollinate here so the out-crosses can happen.

i get a lot of spin offs from the Top Notch beans that i've grown for many years now. when i try to grow them out most of them are not all that good as wax beans. what i hope eventually to do is to find any wax bean i can which has a completely different pattern on the seed so i can grow those instead because while Top Notch has been my favorite so far perhaps there are other wax beans out there which are also as good or better. i've tried a lot of different wax beans so far with none of them ending up being as good but of course taste and texture are personal things.

we had such a strange season here that i won't stop growing the ones i tried this year but will give them another try next year and then if they turn out to be not as good then i can mostly retire them from my experiments and move on. in at least one case they seem to be a bigger and taller plant so i will maybe keep growing those near the Top Notch beans to see if i can get a cross to happen and then go from there.

with so many other projects to work on i don't think i can ever get bored with this.