Green beans

[KDbeads]

We tried growing green beans this year and everyone local insisted that we wanted Contenders....

Well they grew. I started pulling them and they were so fuzzy that they stuck to my hands. We tried every possible way to cook them and yet the fuzzy remained

Decided to try one other variety before fall hit to see if it would be ok but only 2 plants took after the heat we had here and we only got enough for 2 servings of beans, just one measly meal. Those were Kentucky Runners. Decent, no complaints other than they didn't have as much flavor as I would have hoped.

So we are on a quest for green beans that are drought/heat tolerant, flavorful, can be used in several different cooking methods - not just boiled to death, and above all NOT FUZZY.

Ideas? Any Texans out there that know a type that stands up to our heat and produces decently?

Oh.... and I should add that neither of us like wax beans.........

 

[silkiechicken]

Don't know about hot weather bean stuff as I mostly grow Kentucky wonder bush and the blue lake pole and bush varieties in WA. Did contender bush bean once but don't remember them being fuzzy. From my recollection, the runner type of beans are the fuzzy ones. Maybe they got mixed?

That said, if you liked the non fuzzyness of the kentucky wonder, I'd give those a try again in the spring. They may have been bland and not very sweet if it was too cold or to stressed as they were growing and didn't put in as much sugar as they would have in ideal conditions.

Since you are warm though, if I were you I'd try "yard long beans". They are an Asian variety which really do get to be like a yard long but require hot weather and a long season which we don't have up here. I love how crispy they are.

 

[KDbeads]

Hmmm yard longs..... will have to look into them. Our growing season can go through November. First year down here I was outside Thanksgiving morning pulling zucchini for dinner

 

[silkiechicken]

Boy, that must be nice. Earliest thing we can do is potatoes in late march, and tomatoes rarely go out before may....and everything is soggy dead by mid september.

Good luck finding your perfect beans!

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

I don't like them, so don't grow them. However I like to help seniors put in their gardens and they always plant Blue Lake . . . I would say they probably know best.

 

[chickabator]

we like what is called six week beans here, some down south call them peanut beans, yet at farmers market they are called pink half runner. they are ready to pick in 6 weeks. you dont have to stake them and they taste wonderful. they start to turn pink when ready to pick. you might want to try them another one we like very much are tendergreens they are great.

 

[catfish/okie]

I live about 60 miles north of the state line. We got a very simular climate. I like contenders. Maybe try top crop, or blue lake 274, or if you like flat Italian types try greencrop. Here we dont often do well with pole types because it heats up to fast here. I plant in the first or second week in April and if I want a fall crop about Sept 1 if we get the moisture. You may have more flexability because your last frost is earlier than ours and your first one is later unless you live in the panhandle. Avoid the summer it is good for blackeye peas and okra.

 

[TerriLaChicks]

They're not green until you cook them, but the Purple Pod Pole bean from Gurney's is the MOST prolific & easy to grow bean I've ever tried! plus, it's easy to see the purple beans to pick them. They turn green when you cook them. I highly recommend them for anybody in our type of climate. We can even double-crop them here & have another batch in the fall garden.

 

[NonnasBabies]

Quote:
Cool. Thanks for this info. Never wanted to try the purple ones cause I figure my family wouldn't eat them but now that I know they change colors when cooked I'm give them a go!!

 

[blueberrylu]

We love the purple beans. My kids call them the magic beans due to the color change.