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

[Triffid]

That's really interesting.

I would love to grow beans but I've never known anyone growing them here in UK

Hi @Marie2020 , I'm in the UK too.
That's really surprising, we live in opposite worlds- I don't know anyone who doesn't grow them!

It's not too late to sow beans now, if you choose the right variety and microclimate.

If you have a polytunnel, greenhouse or some kind of frame that would help them immensely with this miserable weather we are having, but they aren't a necessity.

I've outdoor sown a quick-ripening dwarf French like Beurre de Rocquencourt in July with success in previous seasons, so I'd definitely recommend them.

If you're interested, after this year's seed harvest I can help you get started with some good heritage climbing varieties adapted to the Isles.

Please be aware that beans can and will take over your life and assets.

 

[Marie2020]

Hi @Marie2020 , I'm in the UK too.
That's really surprising, we live in opposite worlds- I don't know anyone who doesn't grow them!

It's not too late to sow beans now, if you choose the right variety and microclimate.

If you have a polytunnel, greenhouse or some kind of frame that would help them immensely with this miserable weather we are having, but they aren't a necessity.

I've outdoor sown a quick-ripening dwarf French like Beurre de Rocquencourt in July with success in previous seasons, so I'd definitely recommend them.

If you're interested, after this year's seed harvest I can help you get started with some good heritage climbing varieties adapted to the Isles.

Please be aware that beans can and will take over your life and

I've just filled up my raised bed but will try and get a small poly tunnel in for beans. It will be a challenge because the winds we have here. I have grown these sort of beans before.

I was hoping to find a way to grow the haricot bean and other beans that are similar . Would you know if this possible in UK?

I have a make shift greenhouse. But slugs and mice can get into it. I really have to think how I can stop these pests.

Thanks very much for the link

 

[Marie2020]

Bob Flowerdew grows beans, for dry and fresh, in East Anglia. His favourite he says is Hutterite. ☺

I will be looking him up. He's on wikipedia as well.

 

[Ridgerunner]

@heirloomgal I get that fairly often with these beans I'm trying to stabilize. These are all still in project status so don't expect to recognize the names. I was really confused (normal for me) the first time I saw it. I was trying to record flower color as part of what I was tracking with the segregations and would write down white one time and later would write yellow. Finally I realized it was both. I have not kept track to see if both colors develop a bean pod.

Like pale pink and yellow from TTA2B

or another pink and yellow from Tartan Tan

Yellow and white from VB2B

or VB 3

or pink and yellow from Aksai.

 

[heirloomgal]

@heirloomgal I get that fairly often with these beans I'm trying to stabilize. These are all still in project status so don't expect to recognize the names. I was really confused (normal for me) the first time I saw it. I was trying to record flower color as part of what I was tracking with the segregations and would write down white one time and later would write yellow. Finally I realized it was both. I have not kept track to see if both colors develop a bean pod.

Like pale pink and yellow from TTA2B
View attachment 42108

or another pink and yellow from Tartan Tan
View attachment 42109

Yellow and white from VB2B
View attachment 42110

or VB 3
View attachment 42111

or pink and yellow from Aksai.
View attachment 42112

Thank you @Ridgerunner! I had no idea such a thing was possible!

 

[flowerbug]

Two colours on one bean bloom?

View attachment 42087

i think they start yellow and turn white as they age? or have i got that backwards? or am i wrong entirely? haha!

 

[flowerbug]

@heirloomgal I get that fairly often with these beans I'm trying to stabilize. These are all still in project status so don't expect to recognize the names. I was really confused (normal for me) the first time I saw it. I was trying to record flower color as part of what I was tracking with the segregations and would write down white one time and later would write yellow. Finally I realized it was both. I have not kept track to see if both colors develop a bean pod.

Like pale pink and yellow from TTA2B
View attachment 42108

or another pink and yellow from Tartan Tan
View attachment 42109

Yellow and white from VB2B
View attachment 42110

or VB 3
View attachment 42111

or pink and yellow from Aksai.
View attachment 42112

so to me (iignore my last post) it does look like the younger blooms are yellow.

 

[flowerbug]

the first bean to flower that wasn't planted early is the Pisarecka Zlutoluske. they had a decent number of beans and seeds on them last year, but the quality of the seed wasn't that great so this round i hope they will finish better.

Purple Dove are majorly blooming now and all those purple flowers are so great for us. we always like any kind of purple flower.

 

[heirloomgal]

I will be looking him up. He's on wikipedia as well.

He is so funny @Marie2020! There is almost nothing on YouTube about him, but there is some footage on there of him at a Seedy Saturday giving a garden talk, it's so entertaining and brilliant! He presents garden perspectives in such an enjoyable way, I've learned SO much from him. ☺

 

[Zeedman]

Just catching up on this topic... my computer dumped my original comments before I could finish, and I'm just now getting around to re-creating them. I'll break it up into smaller posts, so if it crashes again, I won't lose as much.

@Bluejay77 Do you supplement nitrogen in the early stages of growth? Some of mine seem to take forever to associate with the necessary bacteria, and sulk yellowly for a few weeks.

The local Agricultural Extension recommends that farmers apply low N fertilizer when planting soybeans. This is probably to kick-start the plants in the interval between emergence, and nodule formation. I question the necessity of this, since I grow soybeans without fertilizer & they are as healthy (and well nodulated) as those in the fields nearby.

One of the most common bean-related questions I see on garden forums is a variation of: "why do my beans have lots of leaves, but no flowers?" More often than not, the reason is excessive fertilization. Excessive N seems to stimulate growth of foliage - but at the expense of a delayed transition from vegetative growth, to the reproductive phase (flowering). I witnessed this phenomenon personally, when I used to fertilize my entire garden with manure prior to planting. The pole beans would be vigorous, with dense foliage - but late to bloom. The vines did bloom eventually though (probably as the N was either used or deteriorated) and went on to produce a good crop.

The formation of nitrogen-fixing nodules is adversely affected by high levels of soil N... so there is a fine line between adequate fertilizer for early growth, and over-fertilization. To quote from this reference:

"Nitrogen fixation is also affected by the level of available N in the soil. High soil N levels reduce N fixation because legumes will preferentially use most of the available soil N before they begin to fix atmospheric N. Nodule formation will be progressively inhibited as soil nitrate-N levels rise above about 35 lb/A and little fixation will occur with soil nitrate-N levels above 55 lb/A.

Conversely, soil N levels that are too low can also reduce plant growth. It takes approximately a month from the time of seedling emergence (or the onset of forage legume regrowth) for the nodules to form on the legume roots and begin fixing nitrogen. During this period the legume requires about 15 lb/A of N, depending on growing conditions, from other sources. Usually, this much residual soil N will be available. If not, addition of a small amount (20 to 30 lb/A) of N fertilizer placed away from the seed, may be effective. Recent research has shown starter N to be ineffective in increasing yield."