2021 Little Easy Bean Network - Bean Lovers Come Discover Something New !

[HmooseK]

I wonder how @aftermidnight is doing these days? I miss our bean escapades!

Ralph’s Italian Heirloom was quite the adventure. Her lone bean turned out to be a wax bean that wasn’t what we were searching for. My seeds were dead, others had seeds that were dead. Victory seed company had some, but wasn’t offering them. We all got put on a mailing list, but I never heard anything from them. I sure wish things had gone different, but it be that way sometime.

 

[Artichoke Lover]

I finally got pictures taken of what I’m growing this year. No interesting or rare varieties this year though. Maybe next year.

Rattlesnake pole bean

French Filet another pole

Blue lake bush

Fordhook Bush Lima

Contender bush

Top pick pinkeye purplehull

Mississippi pink eye purplehull

 

[Zeedman]

I wonder how @aftermidnight is doing these days? I miss our bean escapades!

Ralph’s Italian Heirloom was quite the adventure. Her lone bean turned out to be a wax bean that wasn’t what we were searching for. My seeds were dead, others had seeds that were dead. Victory seed company had some, but wasn’t offering them. We all got put on a mailing list, but I never heard anything from them. I sure wish things had gone different, but it be that way sometime.

Funny you should mention Ralph's...

I had been sent seed by George (Macmex) back in those GW years. But after planning to grow it one year and searching for it high & low, I thought it lost. Apparently that bean fell on hard times, because I remember all of the people who were looking for it. Well, I basically tore up & reorganized my seed room top to bottom this Spring - and last week, found the packet of missing Ralph's. Not sure how much viability remains (if any) but it is still unlisted by anyone in SSE, so I will plant everything I have in hope of reviving it.

I too miss @aftermidnight 's contributions to these forums, and hope she is well.

 

[Zeedman]

@HmooseK , @Zeedman
If there are difficulties in growing a Piękny Jaś, don't worry. I have many seeds of several strains of this bean and can send them to you.

Thanks, @Artorius , that is good to know. I notice that you mentioned "several strains"; @aftermidnight & a group of bean fanatics (on another forum) found several non-runner beans while searching for the "real" Piekny Jas. Apparently there are quite a few different beans carrying that name, some even different species.

 

[heirloomgal]

@Artichoke Lover Have you grown the Rattlesnake pole bean in previous years? That is one of my favourite pole beans.

 

[Artichoke Lover]

@Artichoke Lover Have you grown the Rattlesnake pole bean in previous years? That is one of my favourite pole beans.

I grew some last year but I didn’t end up eating any. We expanded the garden majorly last year and the smaller plot with the rattlesnake beans got neglected. Not going to lie part of the reason they didn’t get picked was because the weeds got so high I was afraid I’d find a real snake.

 

[heirloomgal]

I grew some last year but I didn’t end up eating any. We expanded the garden majorly last year and the smaller plot with the rattlesnake beans got neglected. Not going to lie part of the reason they didn’t get picked was because the weeds got so high I was afraid I’d find a real snake.

It's an excellent bean, green with purple splashes. Stays tender for a really long time. Funny you should mention snakes, as I've always wondered/been somewhat fascinated by the situation gardeners face in the Southern states in regards to those creatures. Seems to me gardens might be attractive to them. I have the odd gartersnake sunning on my empty dry beds in May, and gosh I don't like them. My dog really loathes snakes, and I'm glad I've got him for radar. But we have no poisonous ones here, I can't imagine worrying about something like that! Yikes!

Just looked up your state's snake types. Definitely don't want to bump into ANY of those in a green bean patch.....

 

[Artichoke Lover]

It's an excellent bean, green with purple splashes. Stays tender for a really long time. Funny you should mention snakes, as I've always wondered/been somewhat fascinated by the situation gardeners face in the Southern states in regards to those creatures. Seems to me gardens might be attractive to them. I have the odd gartersnake sunning on my empty dry beds in May, and gosh I don't like them. My dog really loathes snakes, and I'm glad I've got him for radar. But we have no poisonous ones here, I can't imagine worrying about something like that! Yikes!

Just looked up your state's snake types. Definitely don't want to bump into ANY of those in a green bean patch.....

They definitely like to hang out around gardens King snakes, Garters, and Rat snakes are all welcome here since they either eat rodents or poisonous snakes. Doesn’t mean they don’t scare the crap out me if I see them though. Luckily we haven’t seen any cottonmouths and maybe one or 2 copperheads since we’ve lived here. Both of those are kill on sight.

 

[HmooseK]

Funny you should mention Ralph's...

I had been sent seed by George (Macmex) back in those GW years. But after planning to grow it one year and searching for it high & low, I thought it lost. Apparently that bean fell on hard times, because I remember all of the people who were looking for it. Well, I basically tore up & reorganized my seed room top to bottom this Spring - and last week, found the packet of missing Ralph's. Not sure how much viability remains (if any) but it is still unlisted by anyone in SSE, so I will plant everything I have in hope of reviving it.

I too miss @aftermidnight 's contributions to these forums, and hope she is well.

George gave me my seeds too, it was about the same time you got yours. I talk to him occasionally, he’s a wealth of knowledge. He forgot more about beans than I’ll ever know. Hahaaa.

 

[Artorius]

Thanks, @Artorius , that is good to know. I notice that you mentioned "several strains"; @aftermidnight & a group of bean fanatics (on another forum) found several non-runner beans while searching for the "real" Piekny Jas. Apparently there are quite a few different beans carrying that name, some even different species.

The true Piękny Jaś is a runner bean only. There are three strains with a registered designation of origin. There are also some commercial varieties in the Piękny Jaś type.