That photo illustrates quite nicely the difference between the amount of foliage produced by the "Streamline" beans (left of photo) and the "Tenderstar" ones (right). "Tenderstar" has French Bean genes as well as Runner Bean ones and the French Bean is typically less vigorous than the Runner.
Of course I made sure to pick all the remaining pods before I cut down the plants. I thought I had been fairly rigorous in my harvesting, but I still found quite a few pods lurking in the foliage - mostly up at the top. There were several little "tiddlers" and the odd one or two over-mature pods, but I still managed to get 520g of useable beans, including some of the best pods I've had all year.
Those are lovely long straight beans, but see how pale they are. This is because they were well hidden and didn't get much light.
Here we are; job done!
I'm hoping this might be the last time I use bamboo poles for my climbing beans, because I have been promised a load of Hazel poles by our local Countryside Rangers (a department of our District Council), who are doing some coppicing work this Winter. I haven't got the poles yet, but they have kindly agreed to deliver them to me when they're ready, so I'm hoping it will indeed come to pass.
The final thing to mention (though to a gardener this will be obvious) is that of course all the bean foliage went into the compost bins. It was pretty bulky, but it will shrink a lot soon, I'm sure.
Overall, 2016 has been an "OK" year for beans. We haven't had a glut, and we haven't had a shortage. A few bags of them are in the freezer, but not many. Next year I think I will probably not grow any French Beans, because their yields are modest in comparison with the Runners, and more to the point we prefer Runners! Also, following the "Less is More" principle, I will probably grow fewer Runners too, so that they can be spaced further apart.
No Cobra next year? One of our hazels is due to be coppiced nextt year and has some grear straight branches.
ReplyDeleteNot sure about Cobra. If I do grow any French beans, they will probably be Cobra though!
DeleteGreat looking beans, especially for the end of the season when my beans always seem to get misshapen. It sad to see the empty trellis though.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant reminder - thank you.
ReplyDeleteI have one runner bean plant that somehow remained at ground level for the whole of last Winter after being eaten by pesky squirrels, it has been THE most prolific plant of this Summer. I have an abundance of beans dangling from it even after two big picking sessions, I am literally going to go and harvest them once I get off the computer .... well maybe one more cup of coffee first ;-)