Sicitalian Black Swamp Pole Beans

[aftermidnight]

I grew these for the first time this year, started in the greenhouse along with all the other beans I grew, this one at least for me needs a long growing season. My other beans were producing pods long before this one even flowered and not because of the heat we didn't get much this year.
All my other beans have been finished for some time now including the Nuna Popping beans. Yesterday I harvested the dry pods and shelled them but there were still a lot of pods so today I pulled the vines and hung them to dry down, see if I can get a few more seeds out of them, I didn't get to try them as a snap so can't comment on that but I might sacrifice a few pods to try as shellies. The pods themselves feel quite heavy and so far have each had 5 or 6 large black beans in them.

Started in the greenhouse I could hardly believe how dark the cotyledons were and talk about sturdy seedlings.

Seedlings just before planted out ...................Pods at the shelly stage.


Pic of dried Seed and one taken with a flash, shows the bluish undertones in the seed coat.


What it looks like in the shelly stage.

What I like about this bean is it stands up to wet weather, it's been raining for weeks here with just the odd dry day. When I harvest the pods, not a sign of mold. The leaves had started to turn yellow and drop, we've had a couple of light frosts on the nights it wasn't raining but not a killing frost yet. I have yet to decide which use it is suited to, snap, shelly or dry. I will definitely grow these again but start them a little earlier see if that makes a difference.

Annette

 

[journey11]

What a cool name for a bean.

I've noticed that there are definitely some beans that do better than others in the wet climate we have here most summers. Some will not even form a seed in the pod if it rains too much!

I tend to pick pole beans for those I grow out for Russ, because I can be pretty sure that I will do well with them. Sometimes my bush beans mold or sprout in the pod from wicking up moisture from the ground as they try to dry. I've had better luck pulling up the whole plant and hanging upside down in the barn as soon as the majority of pods have yellowed.

 

[Blue-Jay]

Nice photos. too bad they don't stay that blue all the time. Blue is a fairly rare color in beans. Would love to see a bean with a solid just slightly darker than sky blue when it's totally dry.