Snap bean question

[2dumb2kwit]

I was thinking about growing some snap-beans this year. I started looking at options, and I have to confess....I had no idea there where so many different varities.

While I was looking, I saw something that I had never seen before. Chinese long beans. Anyone ever grown or eaten these?

[LowKey]

Never tried em 2D. They started out as a novelty years ago called "Yard Long Beans". I never bought into the novelties, and always figured anything that grows that big is gonna be mighty tough. Or not. But I don't even let the regular pole beans go to full size.

[2dumb2kwit]

I saw in a catalog, that they will grow to over 30"s, but that they should be picked when they are 12" to 16", for best eating.

I was just thinking it would be funny to hear, "Honey, go pick us two beans, for supper." LOL

[your_comforting_company]

theres a variety called "lady fingers" I think that are similar. they get about 16" long but if you pick them early they make good snaps. I prefer the peas to the snaps myself.

[Rick]

I grow Kentucky Wonder Pole beans. I have a 4' fence in the garden that I let them trellis on. It takes up a lot less room than actually running them on poles. Of course, you can grow them with corn and let them trellis the stalk. They are true string beans in that they have a string running the seam on both sides of the pod that needs to be removed. It's generally only in older pods and/or late pods. But it's very easy to take off.

I also grow Blue Lake Bush Beans. They mature much sooner than Kentucky Wonders and they are pretty prolific beaners without taking up a lot of room. About a 1 foot square space and around 10 inches tall.

Last year I also planted Painted Lady Runner Beans. They are much larger than "American" green beans and have a beautiful salmon and white blossom. They grow a very nice bean in about 13 weeks. Winnie can tell you loads about this one. This is grown a lot in the UK. Very nice plant and I'll be growing them again this year. I think she grows a different variety than Painted Lady however.

[LowKey]

For pole beans I grow them up a row of single 10' cut sapling poles planted about 2' in the ground. I don't make the tepees. At my last house I used to grow them up ropes tied to the eave of the house. I grow the Golden Romano type pole bean. Flat yellow pods, no destringing, melt in your mouth if you don't let em get over 8 or 9" long.

For bush I grow plain yellow wax beans. Can't stop em. Fill a freezer in two plantings.

I grow snap peas though. Not the real sweet ones but good enough to eat pod and all. I hate shucking the little suckers so I just destring them and toss them in the pot. What doesn't get eaten raw off the vines.