In My Seed Box For 2024 - Beans

Since 2013 I have grown a number of different types & varieties of Beans, but this is what I have in my seed box for 2024

Self Saved & Seed Circle - Bean Seeds last 5-8 years with good storage 

Some of these beans go back a few years, and in 2024, I'm going to sow them all and see which ones are still viable. I now have my greenhouse climbing frame up in the corner of the plot 1 and its ready for action

Blue Beans
Cara La Virgen de la Baneza Leon (Climbing French Bean)
Cherokee Trail of Tears (Climbing French Bean)
Crimson Flowered (Broad Bean)
Kew Blue
Major Cook's (Climbing French Bean)
Nun's Belly Button (Bush Bean)
Ryder's Blue CoCo (Climbing French Bean)
Vermont Cranberry (Bush Bean)

Review Of Seed Stocks in Packets Sow By 2020

Scarlet Empire (Runner Bean)     - 50 Seeds - Free with GYO Mag - Mr Fothergill's
Stardust (Runner Bean)               - 45 Seeds - Free Trial - Marshalls 

Best Of All (Runner Bean)            - 45 Seeds - £2.99 - Suttons - Packed YE 2020

Review Of Seed Stocks in Packets Sow By 2021

Borlotto Lingua di Fuoco Nano    - 50 Seeds - £3.49     - Marshalls - Packed 07/2019
(Dwarf Bean)

Review Of Seed Stocks in Packets Sow By 2022

Dwarf Voltage (Dwarf Bean) - 160 Seeds - £2.99         - Marshalls - Packed YE 2020

Review Of Seed Stocks in Packets Sow By 2023

Lazy Housewife (Climbing French Bean) - 50 Seeds - £3.29 - D.T.Brown - Packed Aug 2021

Review Of Seed Stocks in Packets Sow By 2025

Black Knight (Runner Bean)      - 20 Seeds - £ 3.99  - Suttons - Packed YE 2022

Organdi (Dwarf French Bean) - 100 Seeds - £ 2.80  - Mr Fothergills - Packed YE Jul 2023  

Organdi (Dwarf French Bean) - 100 Seeds - £ 2.80  - Mr Fothergills - Packed YE Jul 2023    

Review Of Seed Stocks in Packets Sow By 2026

Black Knight (Runner Bean)          -  20 Seeds - £ 3.99  - Dobies - Packed YE 2023

French Dior (Dwarf French Bean) - 120 Seeds - £2.99 - Dobies - Packed YE 2023

Sunshine (Climbing French Bean) -  45 Seeds - £3.49 - Dobies - Packed YE2023      

Growing Selection for 2024

My annual runner is normally Scarlet Emperor as they normally provide a good yield and a single panel in the wall at Mill Green Allotment provides me with ample runners for my needs but also for passing on to my sister, eldest daughter and our neighbour.

Now I have additional beds in on Plot 1 and the greenhouse climbing frame in the corner of plot 1 for 20243 I will try some of the French climbing beans as well as Nun's Belly Button, Vermont Cranberry & Pickwick on the French and Bush Beans,

In My Seed Box For 2024 - Index.

Dwarf, Climbing & Runner Beans

Dobies have a selection of New Dwarf, Climbing and Runner Beans that they have added to their catalogue for 2023 and here are the three that I have added to my seed box for hopefully growing on the new climbing greenhouse frame that I hope to get erected before the growing season next year.

Dwarf bean French Dior - Code 41 10 21 - 120 Seeds - £2.99

 Extremely high yielding

 The beans keep their colour when cooked

 Very disease resistant including mosaic virus

Well flavoured, crunchy beans which are easy to spot due to their yellow colour. Dwarf Bean ‘Dior’ is an RHS Award of Garden Merit winner, which forms compact, sturdy plants, reliably setting high yields of uniform pods about 13cm long. Height: 450mm (18"). Spread: 300mm (12").

Companion planting: Try growing French beans with Nasturtiums to draw aphids away from your crop.

Climbing French bean Sunshine - Code 41 10 22 - 45 Seed - £3.49

Sunshine-yellow round-podded climbing beans perfect to grow in a small space
Generous crops of sweet tender pods over a long period
Easy to see on the plants
These sunshine yellow beans stand out beautifully against the foliage to make picking easy. Climbing Bean ‘French Sunshine’ is a reliable, disease-resistant variety from the same breeder as the excellent Climbing Bean ‘Cobra’. It produces generous crops of tender pods which reach up to 17-18cm long. The waxy, yellow pods are stringless and sweet flavoured and continue cropping over a long period. Height: 1800mm (70"). Spread: 300mm (12").

Runner Bean Black Knight - Code 41 10 23 - 20 Seeds - £3.99

 Pods mature to an unusual purple black

 Easy to spot and harvest

 A decorative addition to the veg plot

Your runner beans don’t have to be green! Runner Bean ‘Black Knight’ produces pods which start off green but mature to a purple black making them easy to spot and harvest. 

Attractive bright red flowers and juicy pods. 

Height: 3m (10'). Spread: 300mm (12").

In My Seed Box For 2023 - Beans

  

Since 2013 I have grown a number of types & varieties of Beans, but this is what I have in my seed box for 2023

Self Saved & Seed Circle - Bean Seeds last 5-8 years with good storage 

Some of these beans go back a few years, and in 2023, I'm going to sow them all and see which ones are still viable. I'm hoping to have my greenhouse climbing frame up in the corner of the plot 1 by spring 2023 

Blue Beans
Cara La Virgen de la Baneza Leon (Climbing French Bean)
Cherokee Trail of Tears (Climbing French Bean)
Crimson Flowered (Broad Bean)
Kew Blue
Major Cook's (Climbing French Bean)
Nun's Belly Button (Bush Bean)
Ryder's Blue CoCo (Climbing French Bean)
Vermont Cranberry (Bush Bean)

Review Of Seed Stocks in Packets Sow By 2020

Scarlet Empire (Runner Bean)     - 50 Seeds - Free with GYO Mag - Mr Fothergill's
Stardust (Runner Bean)               - 45 Seeds - Free Trial - Marshalls - Sow By 9/2020

Best Of All (Runner Bean)            - 45 Seeds - £2.99 - Suttons - Packed year ending 2020

Review Of Seed Stocks in Packets Sow By 2021

Borlotto Lingua di Fuoco Nano    - 50 Seeds - £3.49     - Marshalls - Packed 07/2019
(Dwarf Bean)

Review Of Seed Stocks in Packets Sow By 2022

Dwarf Voltage (Dwarf Bean) - 160 Seeds - £2.99         - Marshalls - Packed End 2020

Review Of Seed Stocks in Packets Sow By 2023

Lazy Housewife (Climbing French Bean) - 50 Seeds - £3.29   - D.T.Brown - Packed Aug 2021

Review Of Seed Stocks in Packets Sow By 2025

Black Knight (Runner Bean)      - 20 Seeds - £ 3.99          - Suttons - Packed 2022

Organdi (Dwarf French Bean) - 100 Seeds - £ 2.80          - Mr Fothergills - Packed year ending Jul 2023  

Organdi (Dwarf French Bean) - 100 Seeds - £ 2.80          - Mr Fothergills - Packed year ending Jul 2023    

Review Of Seed Stocks in Packets Sow By 2026

Black Knight (Runner Bean)          - 20 Seeds - £ 3.99          - Dobies - Packed year ending 2023

French Dior (Dwarf French Bean) - 120 Seeds - £2.99 - Dobies - Packed year ending 2023

Sunshine (Climbing French Bean) - 45 Seeds - £3.49 - Dobies - Packed year ending 2023      

Growing Selection for 2023

My annual runner is normally Scarlet Emperor as they normally provide a good yield and a single panel in the wall at Mill Green Allotment provides me with ample runners for my needs but also for passing on to my sister, eldest daughter and our neighbour.

Now I have additional beds in on Plot 1 and hopefully the greenhouse climbing frame in the corner of plot 1 for 2023 I will try some of the French climbing beans as well as Nun's Belly Button, Vermont Cranberry & Pickwick on the French and Bush Beans,

In My Seed Box For 2023 - Index.

First Early Spuds & Runner Beans

I found a tray of Caledonian Pearl - First Early from Suttons behind some fleece in the greenhouse on plot 1A yesterday and this afternoon I dashed to the allotment to get them in flower buckets.

Four potatoes in each bucket, this is a photo of the second layer, I used a mixture of coir, soil and Gro-Sure Multi Purpose compost, plus some D.T.Browns potato fertiliser.

Coir Mulch when I had to come home, two square flower buckets worth in the greenhouse. If it rains it will only help the hydration of this block.

Close view of the Coir chips

Coco Coir Mulch - D.T.Brown

Natural and 100% PEAT FREE - made from 100% Natural Coconut husks, after harvesting, it is stored, ground, washed, dried, and compressed. Coco Coir is a natural by-product of the coconut farming industry and causes minimal impact on the environment and it is the most environmentally friendly alternative to peat moss.

Natural, 100% coir husk chips. This mulch product increases the porosity and enriches soil and retains moisture around plants. Breaks down slowly in the soil to improve structure. Reduces weed growth up to 90% and helps to deter slugs and snails.

How To Use It:
Simpy put your compressed Coco Coir Mulch brick in a container, add 22.5 litres of water and let it sit until the water is absorbed (approx. 20min). Fluff it up and you are ready to use it.

Key Benefits:
- 100% peat-free
- pH and nutrient balanced
- Sustainable and environmentally friendly, from natural renewable sources, biodegradable
- Easy to handle, uniform in composition, odourless
- Better water retention, long lasting
- Provides good drainage / good aeration
- Free of bacteria and weed seeds
- Increases the porosity and retains moisture
- Improves the soil structure
- Reduces the weed growth and deters slug and snails

Size: 30 x 13 x 30cm when compressed. Add 22.5 litres of water and it will expand to 60ltr of Peat Free Coco Chip Mulch - pH value 5.5 -6.8

,,,

First Early Potatoes

Caledonian Pearl - First Early - Potatoes from Suttons in the six flower buckets.

D.T.Brown Rhubarb Livingstone

D.T.Brown Rhubarb Livingstone going to seed already. 

I think I need to water this a little more often than I have been.

 

D.T.Brown Rhubarb Livingstone with bindweed growing in the corner, but not for long. 

Runner bean trench weeded and runner beans "Best of All" from Suttons sown directly in front of the bamboo poles and watered in.

Heavy crop of medium length pods in large clusters. Can be picked over a long season.

Sow in April under glass or cloches, or outdoors in May and June. Prolific, decorative plants thriving in well cultivated soils containing plenty of humus.  Regular watering in dry periods will be amply rewarded by a heavy crop of delicious, tender young beans for table and freezing. (12-16 weeks maturity.) Packet sufficient for a double row of approximately 4.5m (15')

Black Knight Runner Beans

An old New variety to Suttons - Black Knight Runner Beans - 20 Seeds - £3.99

The story is that this runner bean has been grown by the Bishop of Shrewsbury, Edmund Knight, and to have been passed to some of the local congregants in the late 1800’s. This could be true or an old wife’s tale, but where it originates from has been certainly been lost in time and history. The beans of 'Black Knight' may look a little more gnarly than most, but they are still tender, juicy and stringless even when the pods become older and the beans begin to show. For the best tasting results, steam lightly to keep their colour. Pods range from 200 - 300mm (8"-12").

Sow in pots or trays on a windowsill or in a greenhouse using quality compost. Cover seeds with 3.8cm (1½") compost. Germination 7-14 days. Grow on, planting outside protecting with cloches until frost risk has passed. Alternatively, sow direct into warm, moist soil prepared by digging and raking. Erect canes or netting to support plants, sowing one seed per cane or at 15-23cm (6-9") intervals along the row, at a depth of 5cm (2"). Grows best in rich, well-prepared soil. 

Conserve moisture by mulching with manure, straw or grass clippings. Water well during dry summers. Sow in pots or trays on a windowsill or in a greenhouse using quality compost. Cover seeds with 3.8cm (1½") compost. Germination 7-14 days. Grow on, planting outside protecting with cloches until frost risk has passed. 

Alternatively, sow direct into warm, moist soil prepared by digging and raking. Erect canes or netting to support plants, sowing one seed per cane or at 15-23cm (6-9") intervals along the row, at a depth of 5cm (2"). Grows best in rich, well-prepared soil.

The colour makes them easy to spot when harvesting

My plot neighbour grew this variety in 2021 and gave me some to try, and I loved them so defiantly one for my seed box for 2022. 

In My Seed Box For 2022 - Beans

 

Since 2013 I have grown a number of types & varieties of Beans, but this is what I have in my seed box for 2022

Self Saved & Seed Circle - Bean Seeds last 5-8 years with good storage 

Blue Beans
Cara La Virgen de la Baneza Leon (Climbing French Bean)
Cherokee Trail of Tears (Climbing French Bean)
Crimson Flowered (Broad Bean)
Kew Blue
Major Cook's (Climbing French Bean)
Nun's Belly Button (Bush Bean)
Ryder's Blue CoCo (Climbing French Bean)
Scarlet Emperor (Runner Bean)
Vermont Cranberry (Bush Bean)

Review Of Seed Stocks in Packets

Scarlet (Runner Bean)                 - 50 Seeds - Free with GYO Mag - Mr Fothergill's
Stardust (Runner Bean)               - 45 Seeds - Free Trial - Marshalls - Sow By 9/2020

Best Of All (Runner Bean)            - 45 Seeds - £2.99 - Suttons - Packed year ending 2020

Growing Selection for 2022

My annual runner is normally Scarlet Emperor as they normally provide a good yield and a single panel in the wall at Mill Green Allotment provides me with ample runners for my needs but also for passing on to my sister, eldest daughter and our neighbour.

In 2018 I trialled Marshalls new Runner bean Stardust. Due to my leg injury in 2019 I never actually started off any Runner beans, however nature being nature and the fact that I didn't get around to clearing the bean bed beans self seeded and I ended up with a small crop anyway

Now I have additional beds in on Plot 1 in 2022 I will try some of the French climbing beans as well as Nun's Belly Button,  Vermont Cranberry & Pickwick on the French or Bush Bean front.

New in 2021 D.T.Brown  French Bean (Climbing) Lazy Housewife - 50 seeds - An exciting and well named introduction to the range! Originally introduced in 1885 Lazy Housewife is a delicious heritage climbing bean variety that has outstanding flavour. Introduced as the first bean that didn’t require destringing, this variety was quick to be given the name ‘Lazy Housewife’. The young stringless pods can be cooked whole, requiring little or no effort in preparation, or delicious shelled beans can be dried and stored when mature. Young pods have a delicious buttery taste whilst the dried beans have a creamier and heavier flavour.

Suttons - Best Of All Runner Beans - Approx. 45 Seeds - £2.99

Heavy crop of medium length pods in large clusters. Can be picked over a long season.

Sow in April under glass or cloches, or outdoors in May and June. Prolific, decorative plants thriving in well cultivated soils containing plenty of humus. Regular watering in dry periods will be amply rewarded by a heavy crop of delicious, tender young beans for table and freezing. (12-16 weeks maturity.) Packet sufficient for a double row of approximately 4.5m (15').

In My Seed Box For 2022 - Index

In My Seed Box For 2021 - Beans

 

Since 2013 I have grown a number of types & varieties of Beans, but this is what I have in my seed box for 2021

Self Saved & Seed Circle - Bean Seeds last 5-8 years with good storage 

Blue Beans
Cara La Virgen de la Baneza Leon (Climbing French Bean)
Cherokee Trail of Tears (Climbing French Bean)
Crimson Flowered (Broad Bean)
Kew Blue
Major Cook's (Climbing French Bean)
Nun's Belly Button (Bush Bean)
Ryder's Blue CoCo (Climbing French Bean)
Scarlet Emperor (Runner Bean)
Vermont Cranberry (Bush Bean)

Review Of Seed Stocks in Packets

Elena (Soya Bean) - Glycine Max - 50 Seeds - Free with GYO Mag - Mr Fothergill's
Pickwick (Bush Bean)                   - 12 Seeds - £2.09 - Thompson & Morgan - Sow By Dec 2016
Scarlet (Runner Bean)                 - 50 Seeds - Free with GYO Mag - Mr Fothergill's
Stardust (Runner Bean)               - 45 Seeds - Free Trial - Marshalls - Sow By 9/2020

Update - Found 2nd Nov 2018 in a random box

White Lady - Quantity unknown but came as part of a Sarah Raven's Bumper Cropping Collection - Use by 2017 but I shall give them a go.

Growing Selection for 2021

My annual runner is normally Scarlet Emperor as they normally provide a good yield and a single panel in the wall at Mill Green Allotment provides me with ample runners for my needs but also for passing on to my sister, eldest daughter and our neighbour.

In 2018 I trialled Marshalls new Runner bean Stardust. Due to my leg injury in 2019 I never actually started off any Runner beans, however nature being nature and the fact that I didn't get around to clearing the bean bed beans self seeded and I ended up with a small crop anyway

If I can get enough beds in on Plot 1 then I will try some of the French climbing beans as well as Nun's Belly Button,  Vermont Cranberry & Pickwick on the French or Bush Bean front.

New!  French Bean (Climbing) Lazy Housewife - An exciting and well named introduction to the range! Originally introduced in 1885 Lazy Housewife is a delicious heritage climbing bean variety that has outstanding flavour. Introduced as the first bean that didn’t require destringing, this variety was quick to be given the name ‘Lazy Housewife’. The young stringless pods can be cooked whole, requiring little or no effort in preparation, or delicious shelled beans can be dried and stored when mature. Young pods have a delicious buttery taste whilst the dried beans have a creamier and heavier flavour.

In My Seed Box For 2021 - Index

Runner Bean Frame Rebuild

Last night it was rain forecast for Sunday and Kelly is house sitting over the weekend so I decided to swop my Sunday visit for a Saturday morning visit as Kelly will be around in the morning to help her Mum get up and ready for the day and the forecast for Saturday was supposed to be dry all day.

I was awake at 5:30 and came down for breakfast to find it was raining outside, I looked at the weather forecast and it was now saying the rain was due to stop between 8am - 9am. 

I left as the rain stopped and was on the plot a little before 9am and although it was too wet to be digging the next bed, there are so many other jobs for me to do that I decided to get on with re fixing the cantilever beam frame to the wall lower than the original temporary install that failed last year.

So in the photo is the competed re-install only this year the bamboo follows the slope of the cantilever beam sloping section of the frame. There are two small metal angled each side at the top of the frame, and on a next visit I will fix one at the bottom of the frame, just for good measure, as I ran out of angle brackets today. 

The bamboo is cable tied to the frame and to each other and there is a brace in the two outer bays leaning against each other and the frame was nice and stiff and will resist wind loading and should not buckle this year as it did last. I will be able to spot and pick the runner beans as they hang down from the cantilevering sloping section of the frame. 

I rounded up the tools and put them back in the shed as it came over quite dark. I was in the process of fitting the new bright yellow day glow itip handles to the second Plot 1 wheelbarrow when the heavens opened up and I had to abandon the job and the plot and make my way home for lunch.

Original frame made to be cable tied to the existing brackets on the wall that were too high

Parts painted and stacked before being loaded into the car and assembled on site  .