I have never really grown beans, so I have no feeling for how well they do. But, I want to dry some for bean soups this coming winter. How many plants should I put it? What various types of beans? I am thinking red kidney, pinto beans, and what are the big white sort of lima bean shaped ones that I can't think of? Are peas for split peas the same as ordinary peas? Any other suggestions?
Beans for drying
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Rosalind
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Dunno. How much Beano and how many Yankee Candles do you want to buy?
It depends on what type you plant. Last year I got about 3 lbs. from 24 square feet of runner beans, which was a sort of average amount. Sounds good, although there are certainly quite a few to choose from. I'm fond of Scarlet Runner beans myself, they attract hummingbirds and bees, so I plant them every year. This year I'm also trying Brockton and Hidatsa Shield. I did Hutterite Soup last year and the rabbits et them, but will try those again this year with more fencing. Oh yeah, v. important--rabbits love beans. Hope you don't have a rabbit problem.
They're the same as English Peas, AKA Shelling Peas. They are different from sugar snaps or snow peas though.
wifezilla
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Someone gave me some ying/yang beans. I planted them. Not sure how they taste, but they look really cool 
http://plangarden.wordpress.com/2009/01/07/first-year-success-with-dry-shelling-beans/
http://plangarden.wordpress.com/2009/01/07/first-year-success-with-dry-shelling-beans/
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I love bean soup in the winter- it is my comfort food when it is dark and snowy. (and I think we might as well own stock in Yankee Candle)
We are always looking for hummingbird treats- we get several families up here every summer that we put out hummer feeders for, and plant perennials for. The beans sound good- now I just have to find them. I've never heard of them.
So, it looks like a lot of trellises this year to get that many square feet. Maybe I'll put them on the kennel fence, we've never really decided what to put there to hide it.
And, no rabbits- we have two Jack Russell Terrierists
)We are always looking for hummingbird treats- we get several families up here every summer that we put out hummer feeders for, and plant perennials for. The beans sound good- now I just have to find them. I've never heard of them.
So, it looks like a lot of trellises this year to get that many square feet. Maybe I'll put them on the kennel fence, we've never really decided what to put there to hide it.
And, no rabbits- we have two Jack Russell Terrierists
patandchickens
Deeply Rooted
Scarlet runner beans are great to grow -- and yes, hummers *love* them -- and to my mind are excellent as greenbeans or fresh shelling beans, but honestly I don't think they're particularly good as dry beans. First because of the tremendously ugly color, and second because while their flavor as fresh shelling beans makes up for the color they just don't taste anywhere near as good (to me) when fully mature/dried. Certainly not competitive with any dried bean types from the store or farmers market.
JMO,
Pat
JMO,
Pat
Ridgerunner
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You might consider black turtle beans. They go well with Tex-Mex type dishes. I planted 50 feet last year and got several pounds. I just put the dried beans in the freezer in a ziplock type bag and they stored great. I know you don't have to freeze properly dried beans, but it was quick, easy and safe.
Rosalind
Deeply Rooted
Well, I think they are pretty--mine are a mix of red/black and white/black speckled & swirled. Which all turns brownish black after cooking anyways, but certainly no uglier than black turtle beans. To me they taste a bit floury but otherwise like any other beans, especially once they've been baking with maple syrup, tomato paste, stock, mustard and onion in a beanpot for the better part of a day. O' course, just about every bean on earth looks and tastes the same then...patandchickens said:
patandchickens
Deeply Rooted
I think they're gorgeous raw, but it is the purply-muddy color they turn when cooked that I think's ugly. It's exactly the color of dryer lint (you know, the color that pretty much all dryer lint is, no matter what color laundry you put in there 
)
If you like purply-muddy-colored food, though, then for sure scarlet runner beans (dried) are a good one for you <vbg>
(the plants themselves, with their blooms, are gorgeous of course)
Pat
)If you like purply-muddy-colored food, though, then for sure scarlet runner beans (dried) are a good one for you <vbg>
(the plants themselves, with their blooms, are gorgeous of course)
Pat
Have you thought about "yellow eyed" beans? They are really good but can be hard to find. Kind of like a black eyed pea but not nearly as strong/bitter tasting. I also found an old variety called " Logan's giants" that makes a 8-9 inch green bean that can also be used as a dried bean. I'm trying to get started with the logans now, unfortunately last year critters got most of them so I was lucky to have enough seed for this year.
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I looked in the feed store this morning for runner beans for drying- the one variety they had (in a basket with the generic label "agricultural beans" whatever that means) looks a bit like a small kidney bean but is a bush bean. The only runner beans they had were for eating fresh better than drying. I think I'll have to order something.
whatever that means) looks a bit like a small kidney bean but is a bush bean. The only runner beans they had were for eating fresh better than drying. I think I'll have to order something.
