Okay, Bean Lovers

[flowerbug]

What kind of bean(s) would you recommend growing for chili?

i like almost every bean. firm texture in some cases, other times creamy and fall apart, etc. so my quick answer would be grow them all.

had i known last night this question was coming by from you i'd have put another bean in the package i mailed to you and also sent it along.
it is a long cooking bean that won't easily fall apart so it is very firm and chewy.

Purple Dove is more of a medium or shorter cooking bean in comparison and it will fall apart but it's still good eats. i just happened to make a large pile of tex-mex chili with Navy Pea Beans (a small white bean) and Purple Dove (half and half). i don't normally have white beans around to cook with, but we were gifted with these so i'm going to use them up instead of eating all my home grown beans.

if you have good soil and the right climate a good dark red kidney bean is tops for flavor (if you like succotash with dark red kidney beans you probably know what i'm talking about). some people like the lighter red or the white versions too but i can't really get any of these to reliably grow here so i stick with what works (while i try to find other beans or methods that work too )...

 

[ducks4you]

So, are the dried beans that you buy treated to not grow?
I know they try to do that with potatoes.

 

[ducks4you]

I see this might work:

Pinto Shell Bean Seeds | Vegetable Gardening Seeds by MVSeeds

Find Pinto Shell Bean seeds and a huge selection of flower, vegetable garden, herb, microgreens and other specialty seeds. Packets to Bulk Wholesale.

www.trueleafmarket.com

 

[flowerbug]

So, are the dried beans that you buy treated to not grow?
I know they try to do that with potatoes.

none that i know of short of just bad storage conditions. i'm pretty sure these bags of the Navy Pea beans are coming from someone who has very poor conditions for about everything. they're dirty, there's a lot of off-color beans in there and too many splits. i'd be embarrassed to sell any product like these.

 

[flowerbug]

if you want to do a quick and cheap trial next season of a variety of beans, go out and buy a bean soup mix from the store next time you shop and then plant those out. that is one of the ways i started bean growing back in the dark ages (when was trying to add more varieties and learning more about growing beans). i no longer grow any of them, but it was fun and it did give me plenty of return for a few $. oh, i need to correct that statement, the smooth green soup peas i still grow are from that purchase - best $2.50 i spent for beans/peas.

if you want to get exposure to many many bean varieties see if there will be any local seed swaps around or search for seed libraries in your area.

next late winter there will be one in mid-Michigan and i will be there with as many bean varieties as i can pack in the car and move easily enough (my entire collection or nearly so i hope). i may not be able to package and sell samples of each of them but if a bean lover sits down and starts talking to me about them i could probably get out the boxes and find things they'd want... (hint hint)...

 

[ducks4you]

none that i know of short of just bad storage conditions. i'm pretty sure these bags of the Navy Pea beans are coming from someone who has very poor conditions for about everything. they're dirty, there's a lot of off-color beans in there and too many splits. i'd be embarrassed to sell any product like these.

Good to know.

 

[ducks4you]

if you want to do a quick and cheap trial next season of a variety of beans, go out and buy a bean soup mix from the store next time you shop and then plant those out. that is one of the ways i started bean growing back in the dark ages (when was trying to add more varieties and learning more about growing beans). i no longer grow any of them, but it was fun and it did give me plenty of return for a few $. oh, i need to correct that statement, the smooth green soup peas i still grow are from that purchase - best $2.50 i spent for beans/peas.

if you want to get exposure to many many bean varieties see if there will be any local seed swaps around or search for seed libraries in your area.

next late winter there will be one in mid-Michigan and i will be there with as many bean varieties as i can pack in the car and move easily enough (my entire collection or nearly so i hope). i may not be able to package and sell samples of each of them but if a bean lover sits down and starts talking to me about them i could probably get out the boxes and find things they'd want... (hint hint)...

That would mean a road trip, which is fun, BUT, I live 30 minutes south of the University of Illinois, with their College of A.C.E.S. and there are Many seed swaps. Mid American Gardener, (PBS, broadcasting from the U of I,) advertises these. I may have to go to a few. Good thoughts!

 

[jbosmith]

What kind of bean(s) would you recommend growing for chili?

I really like the big cranberry bean types for chili. They're huge and hold together well during cooking.