Fast Pole Beans

[so lucky]

I planted Derby Bush Beans and Fortex Pole Beans the same day, back in April. I am just starting to get beans off the bush beans, but I see the pole beans are producing already too! There are a few that are big enough to pick already.
A couple of years ago the pole beans took forever to start blooming, and then I was not happy with them--that's when I think someone mislabeled Blue Lake Pole, because they were stringy and coarse. Last year I planted an old variety of greasy cutshort pole beans that were stringy, too. (the name might have been Headricks--not sure, and I'm too lazy to get off the couch right now to go check)
So this year, the Fortex has some pressure on them. I am expecting a lot from them. Early production is a step in the right direction!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I have a few volunteer Blue Lake pole beans that started producing a few days ago, about a week after the Blue Lake bush beans I planted in early April. I plant a few bush beans to eat off of while my pole beans come into production. My wife wants me to can the Blue Lake pole beans, she likes the flavor best. Normally my Blue Lake pole beans don't come into production until August no matter when I plant them.

It's been a strange year. I have volunteer beans coming up all over the place, probably because of the mild winter, and now the pole beans are coming into production more than a month earlier than normal. I just wish I had a lot more of those volunteer pole beans in the right place. Four will help a lot when it comes to fresh eating but you don't get much of a caning off that.

 

[so lucky]

That was kind of my plan, too, @Ridgerunner. I am gratified to hear things are growing strangely for you, too, although I don't know why I should be gratified. Maybe just to know its not just me. I have a lot of volunteer beans coming up, too, but they are not something I want to grow out.

 

[Lavender2]

I had the same experience with Blue Lake pole last year, @so lucky. I wonder if weather has something to do with that... ? It was cool and wet forever last year, they bloomed very late and were terrible. The year before, the beans were wonderful, tender and not stringy... and I know they came on earlier.

I was going to go back to a bush bean this year but have not planted, yet, might be too late.

 

[so lucky]

@Lavender2, did you plant the Blue Lake Pole out of the same stash both years, or did you buy new each year? Wonderful, tender and not stringy is how they are supposed to be.
No, the year with the bad blue lake for me was hot and pretty dry. I had to water them occasionally.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I normally don't grow out volunteer beans either. I grow so many different kinds I don't know what they are and they are not where I want them anyway. But these pole beans were in an area and showing that they are pole so they can be nothing else. Plus these are where I grow them, on my garden fence. They tasted pretty good too.

 

[Lavender2]

@Lavender2, did you plant the Blue Lake Pole out of the same stash both years, or did you buy new each year? Wonderful, tender and not stringy is how they are supposed to be.
No, the year with the bad blue lake for me was hot and pretty dry. I had to water them occasionally.

The seeds were from the same year, purchased from Parks, but different package. Hmmm, maybe not the weather.
I usually just do bush beans because I always get a good crop but thought harvesting would be easier on my back. The grand kids are old enough to pick now.

 

[digitS']

It's bean a month, @so lucky .

How have you liked Fortex?

And, do you think that my low rating of the variety might also have bean a mislabeling problem, similar to the Blue Lake experience you related?

Steve

 

[Smart Red]

Very punny, Steve. I'd bean wondering when you'd lose it this year.