chicken stalker
Chillin' In The Garden
I just got back from vacation and I'm inundated with overgrown green beans. The beans themselves are about as big as a dime. What can I do with them???
over grown green beans
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chicken stalker
Chillin' In The Garden
Do I need to wait for the pod to dry before I shell them?
hoodat
Garden Addicted
For shelly beans you shell them out when the pod is getting too tough to eat but is still green. The beans should be fully formed but semi hard. They cook in no time since they don't have to spend all that time soaking up water.
No, you don't have to wait til dry unless you want to use them as dried beans. If you find some have already started to dry a bit, you could soak a bit first or just cook on low heat a while longer. If you're a seed saver, of course you could save these seed to plant next yr. Oh, now I remember the old timers had something they made called leather britches. I believe they just strung and dried them like people do dried peppers. Then I guess they soak pod and all, then cook. I've never done that so not sure. When I string and dry peppers, they look really nice, but are moldy inside later. Very humid here.
Leather Britches aka Shucky Beans
This is from The Progressive Farmer: Southern Country Cookbook circa 1972 Old Time foods section
You snap off the ends and string the pods, then with a needle and thread, pierce the center bean of each pod. Hang and dry away from dampness until the pods rattle and then bag in plastic bags.
To prepare, wash and soak beans overnight in cold water. Boil hard for 30 minutes, drain and rinse. Add salt, 1/4 to 1/2 lb fat back, salt pork or a ham bone and about 1/4 cup dried yellow eye beans. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer until done, about 3 hours adding water as necessary. Cook until most water is absorbed and beans are just dry.
This is from The Progressive Farmer: Southern Country Cookbook circa 1972 Old Time foods section
You snap off the ends and string the pods, then with a needle and thread, pierce the center bean of each pod. Hang and dry away from dampness until the pods rattle and then bag in plastic bags.
To prepare, wash and soak beans overnight in cold water. Boil hard for 30 minutes, drain and rinse. Add salt, 1/4 to 1/2 lb fat back, salt pork or a ham bone and about 1/4 cup dried yellow eye beans. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer until done, about 3 hours adding water as necessary. Cook until most water is absorbed and beans are just dry.
vfem
Garden Addicted
Well, my green beans are all pretty much failed... I got none on my vines... and the few I saw would shrivel up after they got about an inch long.
But I think you should shell and eat them like peas too. I bet they'll freeze fine.
But I think you should shell and eat them like peas too. I bet they'll freeze fine.
Ridgerunner
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If you remove all the beans from your plants and they don't dry up due to lack of water or cook in they heat, they should grow more beans. If you allow those beans to dry on the vine, they will probably quit producing.
Vfem, I'm having trouble with mine this year too, but different than yours. If mine set beans, they will grow, but not enough set to make a meal on a 45 foot row and they turn tough real quick. I water to keep them alive, hoping to get a harvest when it cools down a bit. These last few weeks have been too hot for many things in my garden, including beans.
Vfem, I'm having trouble with mine this year too, but different than yours. If mine set beans, they will grow, but not enough set to make a meal on a 45 foot row and they turn tough real quick. I water to keep them alive, hoping to get a harvest when it cools down a bit. These last few weeks have been too hot for many things in my garden, including beans.
hoodat
Garden Addicted
I cut mine to the ground intending to make room for fall veggies but didn't get around to pulling the roots. They're making fresh growth from the base and it looks as though they'll make another crop.
vfem
Garden Addicted
Well that's nice to know. I've found some caterpillars (black and yellow lines) eating on my leaves today. Probably squished about 12 of them while checking on my tomatoes.hoodat said:
I think I have given up on them. I've been getting flowers for almost a month now, and when I see a bean it looks healthy... then it shrives and disappears completely!
