Beans, Beans and more Beans, my 2016 grow list

[aftermidnight]

I just made out my grow list for this year, not saying a few might be bumped for something else but this is what it looks like so far...
I only grow one runner each year so there's no chance of crossing 'AERON PURPLE STAR' (pole) this is the only runner I've grown the last 3 years, it's a runner developed by a fellow in Wales, I still get a few green pods, hopefully with culling the plants producing them I'll end up with all only plants producing purple pods eventually. This runner is tender and delicious in the snap bean stage and stringless to boot.
'AUNT MARY'S MEAT' (pole) first time growing, might be a bit of a challenge as most of the seed coats split on this one(genetic trait?), but it's said to be a tasty bean.
'BARKSDALE' my favorite wax pole bean to date from my GW buddy George in Oklahoma, melts in the mouth like butter.
'BARRY ISLAND' (pole) another pole bean from Wales, grew for seed last year, this year we'll get more than a taste.
'BIRD EGG #3' (pole) from another GW buddy, supposedly a snap bean but excellent as a shelly. I think it's the biggest P.vugaris I've ever seen.

BE#3 at the shelly stage compared to dried seed.


Pods at the shelly stage.

'BLACK SEEDED YARD LONG' (pole) trying this one more time, haven't had much luck with it so far, should have grown it last year we had an unbelievably hot summer.
'BLUE SHACKAMAXON' (pole) I pulled this one out of the freezer as it seems to be hard to find. I was only given a sample a few years ago, had been storing it in the fridge until I bought a small freezer to store my seed .
'CANDY' (bush) another bean I had been given a sample of, I grew four plants last year for seed, they stayed a true bush form rather than one with short runners so I'm growing them again to see if they keep the bush habit. One of Russ' introductions.
'WHITE SEEDED CHEROKEE TRAIL OF TEARS' (pole), I grew this one last year for the first time, a mutation of the black seeded CTofT's and just as delicious. A mutation found in a garden in the UK.
'EMILIA'S ITALIAN' (pole), a local heirloom I've been growing since 1965, brought here by an Italian immigrant in 1911. This is the only bean I grew for many years besides a few scarlet runners. Then the bean bug hit.
'IRISH CONNERS' (pole) a heirloom that traveled across the pond from Ireland, first to the states and then it made its way up here, almost lost but a few of us are growing it and getting it back in circulation. A nice straight snap bean with IMO a good flavor.
'LAZY WIFE' (POLE) grew for the first time last year, this is the originally thought to be lost but has been put back in circulation by Derek Fell.
'MENNONITE PURPLE STRIP' (pole) growing for the first time, had the seed for awhile so hope it will still germinate.
'RED EYE FALL MUTATION ?' (pole) a mutation from the 'Red Eye Fall' I grew last year, the seed coat is a solid rouge red, if it stabilizes I am thinking of naming it 'Bloodshot'.
'SICITALIAN BLACK SWAMP' (pole) growing for the first time, said to be a good one, I liked the name so thought I would give it a try .
'STEEVES' CASEKNIFE' (pole) another I've had in the stash for a long time and needs to be grown before it's no longer viable.
'TANYA'S PINK POD' (bush) another first timer for me, I don't grow bush beans as a rule, lack of space but I usually grow one or two each year.

Lastly but not least... from Russ @Bluejay77
'WITSA' (pole) one I requested and....
'??????????' (now WB-PKT #45' (pole, Not a mystery anymore.) I told Russ to choose one to grow out for him, so right now it's a mystery, oh, the suspense, what will it be.
From one beanaholic to the rest of you beaners, anyone else have their bean list made out yet?

Annette

 

[PhilaGardener]

Great list, Annette!

 

[baymule]

Your bean list is awesome! I haven't settled in my garden space yet. Last year was my first year in our new place and the garden was a total bust. I have two buckets of seed, for some unknown reason I keep buying more whether I need them or not. A few of these, a few of those.....

Russ sent me the bean seeds he chose for me, as I can plant earlier than most people. I am getting impatient. We have had gorgeous sunny days, but still get dips in the low 40's and a frost or two.

 

[Hal]

All should be fun, Barksdale sounds interesting from your description.

 

[Blue-Jay]

I too would have to say that Barksdale sounds good according to your description. It's probably rather odd with all the beans I have, but I don't have a real good wax pole bean. Maybe seed swap material for you in the fall. I have never seen a true bush form of my Candy bean. I've always known it to be a semi runner. Hope you have great bean growing weather this year. Not to wet and not to dry. Sunny and dry days when the seed matures and the pods are in their dying stage.

 

[aftermidnight]

I too would have to say that Barksdale sounds good according to your description. It's probably rather odd with all the beans I have, but I don't have a real good wax pole bean. Maybe seed swap material for you in the fall. I have never seen a true bush form of my Candy bean. I've always known it to be a semi runner. Hope you have great bean growing weather this year. Not to wet and not to dry. Sunny and dry days when the seed matures and the pods are in their dying stage.

@Bluejay77 , I'll have to put a few 'Barksdale' in your packet in the fall, since I'm allowed send up to 50 packets according to your permit .

A bit of information on 'Barksdale' a Macmex on GW family heirloom, a white seeded wax pole bean.
"We've (Macmex) been growing an heirloom wax pole bean, from my wife's side of the family, since 1983. It's called Barksdale Wax Pole Bean, after Clyde Barksdale, a neighbor of my wife's grandparents, in Salem, Illinois, who gave them their seed, probably more than 50 years ago.
This bean's pods are flat and reach 8" in length and an inch in width. They remain tender right up to when they begin to dry down for seed. Barksdale germinates best while the soil is still fairly cool and moist, but like any bean, it doesn't tolerate frost. This variety withstands heat just fine, but won't set on many beans when nights are hot. So, many summers we have a fairly light picking until the cool evenings of late summer arrive and then it produces like gangbusters! Late in the season a few poles of this bean produce so much that we often stop picking our other beans. Because of the yellow color and large size of the pods it's very easy to pick.

I've seen documentation which leads me to believe that Barksdale is an old variety that supposedly disappeared in the mid-1800s. The documentation said that it was called the Golden Cluster Pole Bean, and that it was one of the best wax varieties. The claim was that it disappeared to do cross-pollination. I believe that it became discontinued because of its low productivity during the hottest part of the summer, and because it is not as prolific a producer of seed as other varieties. An 8" bean will have 8 seeds, instead of being packed with 16 or more. Nevertheless, this is one of our family's favorites.

Growing in my garden


Just have to steam these for a few minutes and they're ready for a bit of salt and pepper and of course butter.

I grew a sample of 'Candy' in a tub last year, only four plants, the plants didn't throw any runners and they didn't produce many pods but have enough seed to try a sample again, in the garden this time so we'll see if they produce runners or stay a true dwarf. The gal I got the seed from can't say for sure but thinks when she grew them the didn't produce any runners. Time will tell.

Annette

 

[ninnymary]

Love those beans! Would you be willing or able to send me 6? We have cool Summer's here and may do well for me.

 

[aftermidnight]

@ninnymary , Sure thing, I sent you a message .

Annette

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

when i grew Candy a couple years ago the ones i got from Russ were runners. so if you have them growing as bush habit that is a good thing! mine produced pretty well but soon overtook my Glass Gem corn that was growing to 8'!

maybe keeping them restricted in pots kept them in check. if that's the case i may try growing them in some landscape pots to keep them short.

 

[aftermidnight]

@Bluejay77 I'm sharing the few seeds of 'Candy' I collected last fall with Shirley B., she's going to grow them too, she's also hoping they grow as a bush bean. My few I'll plant out in the garden, if they still grow as a true bush without runners I'll include a few in the package I'm sending you in the fall.
There have been several sources here in Canada the last few years that have had 'Candy ' listed, I don't know if the gal I got them from got them in trade or if she bought them, maybe they have evolved into a true bush over time or, maybe it's just a growing condition, hopefully mine will keep the bush habit. Maybe I should plant them in a waist-high raised bed I have, this way they can spill over the sides if they decide to run .
Annette