Beans

[Suze]

Originally Posted by FlipTX

Suze, I thought I had my beans all lined up for next spring but your post made me add Dragon Tongue to my wishlist.

I don't think you'll be disappointed. I have even found myself eating it raw occasionally because it is so flavorful.

It does lose those purple markings when cooked, though.

[Miss Sphinx]

I grew 4 varieties of beans this past season. Two romano types 'Marvel of Venice' (a yellow romano) and 'Romano Pole'. These guys are kinda staple in my veggie garden. Two new (to me) varieties I tried were 'Sunset' and 'Dragon Tongue'. I couldn't keep up with the Japanese beetles on the Sunset, but luckily they didn't have a taste for anything else....so they must have been some mighty fine beans. I really, REALLY liked Dragon Tongue and could not agree more with Suze.

[feldon30]

Dragon Tongue -- the Brandywine of beans, without the fussiness.

[snappybob]

I planted my beans in the fall this year and they are doing real well. Nothing fancy just Kentucky Wonder pole beans but they sure are good. My favorite way to cook them is boiled or stewed with some cut up onions and some of last summers tomato sauce that I put up.

[tomatoaddict]

Suze, so the Dragon's tongue is a bush bean right?
Is it for eating fresh like green beans or can you use them as drying beans?

[Suze]

Originally Posted by tomatoaddict

Suze, so the Dragon's tongue is a bush bean right?
Is it for eating fresh like green beans or can you use them as drying beans?

Terry, my understanding is that you can use it for fresh eating or as a shelling bean.

[Worth1]

Virtually all beans can be eaten at some point as a so called green or fresh bean; it just depends on the maturity of the bean pod.

Worth

[Tormato]

Terry,

Dragon Tongue, aka Dragon Langerie, is a bush snap bean. My favorite bush snap bean. It has a long harvest season compared to many bush varieties. I've never tried it as a shelly, because of the small to medium bean size. Large beans are a lot less work to shell. I have no idea if it would hold up in cooking, as a dry. Let me know if you'd like some seed.

Gary

[tomatoaddict]

Hey Gary,

Sure, I would love some of those beans. I got some bush beans for drying too, "Gross Brother's Vermont Cranberry and European Soldier".
I really don't know much about Bush Beans as I have always grown pole beans.
The BB don't climb at all right? You just let them sprawl.

[feldon30]

In a pinch, Dragon Tongue can be purchased from your local Target if they carry the Sean Conway seed line. They're not cheap though. I saved seeds this year.

[Tormato]

Terry,

Dragon Tongue doesn't sprawl, since it has no runners. It just grows upright, and dense. Less than 18" tall, if I remember correctly. The pods (pale yellow w/purple streaks) are easy to locate.

You really don't want me to get going on beans, because after tomatoes...well, I ain't going there.

Gary

[tomatoaddict]

Oh yes I do want you to get going on beans Gary.
I know not much at all about them. I will have to pick your brain in the spring when it's time to plant.

[Suze]

Terry, this was my first time growing bush beans, although I've grown pole beans a few times in the past.

I followed Morgan's advice and planted seeds on six inch centers, with rows also six inches apart. One 3x12 bed = 144 plants, and that has me just buried in beans.

The only thing I've had to do besides water and pick them is occasionally spray with Bt for leaf rollers. Very easy to grow.

[Ruth_10]

I usually plant both bush and pole beans, bush beans in the spring and in the fall, and pole beans for the long summer haul. You can get a decent crop of bush beans by planting a six foot long double row of beans, with plants ~5" apart in the row and the rows 9-12" apart. You can plant closer, but probably wouldn't gain a lot in yield because of shading and competition. In the past I liked Dorabel, a yellow wax bean that Pinetree used to sell (it was a compact plant that produced well). We've grown several purple varieties and a couple of greenies, with Tendergreen now being my "go to" bush bean.

With the exception of Dorabel, the bush beans I've grown can get some size and sprawl a fair amount. Occasionally some short runners form (bush beans were developed from pole beans), but they don't need a trellis like a pole bean would. If sprawling is a problem you can put a short fence of twine around the patch to keep the plants upright.

Here's another good way to eat string beans. Blanch them for a minute or two, drain, then toss them in a skillet with hot olive oil. Get it pretty hot so you get some color on the beans. Turn the heat down a bit, add minced or smashed garlic, some diced or julienned red pepper (hot chile is nice) for color, then add shrimp (we use frozen) and a few tablespoons of tomato sauce or diced tomatoes. Season with salt, pepper, a tablespoon of soy sauce and some balsamic vinegar, and toss in some cooked (al dente) pasta. Stir to coat and serve. This is delicious and good way to use string beans as the main ingredient of a meal when you have a surplus.

[velikipop]

I grow lots of beans each year, bush, pole and even limas, though it's difficult to get a good crop of limas in this cool climate.

The best bush bean for me last year was Indy Gold OP, purchased from West Coast seed. It is a very early stringless yellow bean that outproduces any other bush bean I've grown and the taste is superb.

Fortex and Rattlesnake were great pole beans and will be permanent in my garden.

The only problem I have with beans is that they get attacked by slugs. Next year I will use more slug bait and start the beans in cell packs rather than direct planting as I've done before.

Alex