The Little Easy Bean Network - Get New Beans Varieties Nearly Free

[897tgigvib]

That's true. A serious project, but of course very enjoyable and satisfying.

For me, when I am growing things like beans and at least some crop is necessary, failure not optional, like last season growing Russ' varieties, I grow them in a main patch, and plant some others in different patches.

The catalog front page photo is the thing everyone wants to get, and naturally.

But there are other varieties that have similar looks to those. It is possible for instance that those green and black Limas are very touchy to grow in temperate latitudes. So if everyone gets those, and nobody obtains the similar black and white ones which might be very good at growing at temperate latitudes, so much more will be lost.

There are varieties very similar to that Zebra, with different amounts of black to the white, up to almost all white with faint zebra stripes, and almost all black with small white lines.

Even more cool are the reddish brown and white zebra varieties.

Also, among the limas, there are a few varieties that are a true bright pink, not brownish pink or lavender pink. there are those too. Also, I found at least one with almost transparent skin, colorless and glossy. That one could have a future for those sensitive to legume pigments.

What I'm saying is there are so many other extremely beautiful varieties than the catalog cover varieties. I find myself very much wanting to grow the others.

I also found among the Limas a Zebra type which was that greenish shade and black, though the zebra stripes were not quite as perfect as the catalog cover model.

If I set the parameters at seed size and species, and do the from x to x just right, I can get a small enough field of a couple hundred or so to look at at a time.

 

[897tgigvib]

I'm hoping someone could figure it out too. I'll pm Smart Red. She's really smart. Maybe Hal has it figured out.

Russ, I am certain they do not have even one third of the varieties you have, and they don't have all my varieties either.

That kind of leads me to think this listing of so many varieties, big as it is, only represents about maybe half the world's varieties, though I can easily be way off.

 

[897tgigvib]

Oh, I just now clicked on one of those global maps most accessions have. This one for Jamaica.

It's pointer points to a place just down the road from the
BOB MARLEY museum in Kingston.

I am seriously liking this CIAT organisation!

 

[897tgigvib]

If this link works...

Look at the bottom on this page at the variety called AZULIN

G51483 Dry, Climbing Bean from Colombia, Phaseolus vulgaris, weight is 94, that means it is in the group of largest beans among the Vulgaris.

Colombia is not far from the equator. It may well be a very long season bean.

I want to try growing this one, but I think it is more suited for where Hoodat gardens.

Best I can do with very long season beans is equal or a bit better than equal what I plant, but I'm getting better. This year I learned for sure, they need more space.

http://isa.ciat.cgiar.org/urg/showbsearchresults.do?pager.offset=50

 

[897tgigvib]

It's black and blue!

 

[897tgigvib]

G12158

http://isa.ciat.cgiar.org/urg/showbsearchresults.do?pager.offset=20

Amazing color! Reddish black with pink markings, plus a variation. Medium sized bean, climbing, from Peru. Has no name.

 

[TheSeedObsesser]

Marshall, those links don't work when I try them.

I have not gotten too far on the CIAT website, so don't know what I'd like to request. One thing I do know is that I want a few of those earlier maturing nuna varieties. I read that they are daylength sensitive so will not fill my whole request with nunas. I have not seen any of these varieties offered in the U.S. except for the patented cross.

Hal, saw your Australian varieties on Mr. Crow's website. Very nice looking!

 

[TheSeedObsesser]

Has anyone figured out yet what is the exact procedure for requesting and receiving beans accessions from CIAT. I think we each need to apply for an import license from the USDA. Correct me if I'm wrong. I think there is a form you can print out on the CIAT site. Fill it out and mail it to them. I believe the reasons for requesting seeds from them that they want to here from an individual would be beans for growing for food and sharing seed with other gardeners. Does that sound correct?

I wonder if CIAT would like or could take variety donations from anyone of us.

Hopefully not, I'm only 16 and will probably not be able to get an import license. I'll check the requirements for that one though.

 

[TheSeedObsesser]

G35143 and G2563 are definitely two good ones. That and the brown nuna bean with the white stripe running down the bean above the hilium. Is G40699 a tepary bean? Some of those look like chips of granite!

 

[Hal]

I'm hoping someone could figure it out too. I'll pm Smart Red. She's really smart. Maybe Hal has it figured out.

Russ, I am certain they do not have even one third of the varieties you have, and they don't have all my varieties either.

That kind of leads me to think this listing of so many varieties, big as it is, only represents about maybe half the world's varieties, though I can easily be way off.

A lot of jargon, too much for my taste actually.

1. They want your full name and full address. Nice and clear to avoid confusion.
2. They want to know how many accessions you want and the identity of them which is no doubt accession number.
3. They want you to have a clear purpose and explain in some description, in line with their rules (covered under no.1 for the guidelines link you posted Marshall). The main purpose we all have is conservation, some of us would also do breeding work.
4. Sounds to me like you have to fill out and agree to the SMTA. It seems it can be printed off and mail, done online ect.
5. Any import requirements to bring the seeds into the USA are carried out. You might want to ring your local USDA extension or whoever the body in charge of such things and find out. You might need a permit and also to supply CIAT with a permit number or paperwork to attach when sending to you.

I'm not sure what else, that is all I know.