Do Any Of You Grow Your Own Green Beans?

[Karalyne]

We recently moved to a farm back in the fall and we are looking forward to putting out a small garden. One of my favorite fresh vegetables are white half runner beans. They are so delicious cooked with fresh potatoes, diced onions and a few strips of bacon. Do any of you grow your own green beans and if so, what are your favorite kinds?

 

[Corzhens]

We planted a small plot with mung beans that we call mongo beans. It is the small beans like the bb gun bullet. The beans are in a long pod and when brown, that is the time to harvest. However, it was difficult to harvest because the beans are scattered when the pod breaks. And after all the efforts, what we got was just a glassful of beans, hahahaaah. My husband said that it is better to just buy 2 glasses of mung beans in the market, no effort and cheap at that. So we do not plant beans anymore.

 

[Pat]

Beans are one of my favorite garden items. I like pole beans and bush beans when I do plant beans. I didn't plant a garden last year which I missed half way through the summer. I plan to plant a few vegetables this spring and beans will be one of the items I plant.

 

[Vinaya]

I grow various types of green beans. I don't know English names of most of the beans I grow in my garden. We make curry and soup from green beans.

 

[winterybella]

I am sure my mom grew them when I was home and growing up. In my own garden I don't think I remember having them grown. The garden experience was so short lived. However things are changing and the garden is being cultivated again. I never knew you called those beans 'white half runner beans'.........I learn something new here everyday.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I have no idea what white half runner beans are, but I do frequently grown runner beans which look roughly like this and grow to around 9-12 inches in length (20-30cm for those who are metric).



The flowers can be all sorts of colours. They are pretty easy to grow but like most beans and peas need plenty of water and water rich soil. They also like a good layer of compost to get their roots into and if you can line the trench they are to grow in with a layer of grass clippings and/or even old newspaper (I'm not kidding, it acts to hold water in creating a wetter environment) they will benefit from it even more. Runner beans in the UK grow very tall as well and like a lot of support. Typically they will grow to 6 foot high (2m) or more if allowed to.

 

[MrsDangermouse]

From a quick google image search I think half white runner beans would be what I would call french beans or green beans. For some reason its never occurred to me to grow them , maybe I'll put them on our list for next year. This year we're growing broad beans and borlotti beans.

 

[winterybella]

These are the beans I know and I think we here call them beans. I'll remember to ask my mom later if they are called by another name or maybe @Caribbean girl can help me out.

 

[Caribbean girl]

These are the beans I know and I think we here call them beans. I'll remember to ask my mom later if they are called by another name or maybe @Caribbean girl can help me out.

We usually call the beans seen in the photo here, butter beans. However, there is another type of beans which we refer to here as string beans. I am not that fond of the string bean variety, and more often than not, I would buy the butter beans except I cannot do otherwise, that is, if they are not available. I have never grown any type of beans, but I do cook them regularly. See an example below of what we call 'string beans.'

 

[winterybella]

That's it @Caribbean girl. Butter beans and string beans and to think I am the one who grew up with my mom growing these things. I have to say I've had neither in a while. I am not a big fan. They give me a feel on my teeth I don't like. I can't quite explain it.

 

[Diane Lane]

I've never grown green beans. I can't remember if my dad grew them in his garden. I can recall several of his crops, but not whether he grew beans. I don't have a lot of room, because I only grow on my balcony. I don't really trust the yard, because people here use tons of chemicals, and so although I've planted some plants and flowers in the yard, I wouldn't grow food plants there. I still need to pick up some soil and a few new pots before I put in the lettuce and tomatoes I'm planning to grow this year.

 

[winterybella]

I've never grown green beans. I can't remember if my dad grew them in his garden. I can recall several of his crops, but not whether he grew beans. I don't have a lot of room, because I only grow on my balcony. I don't really trust the yard, because people here use tons of chemicals, and so although I've planted some plants and flowers in the yard, I wouldn't grow food plants there. I still need to pick up some soil and a few new pots before I put in the lettuce and tomatoes I'm planning to grow this year.

Soon I will take some pictures of my garden that was in ruins for months. I am really excited although I was not initially for the garden. I did not request beans but I requested some kale which would be a new thing for us. I'll see how it goes. I got a little scared the other day when my husband said they saw mice. I am horrified of them not to mention if I think mice are out there I am not going to want anything from the garden. I'm one of those people who'd rather not know and when I know it makes me very uncomfortable. Unlike you I have the room for a nice garden.

 

[kgord]

My neighbors used to grow them when I was young. We used to pop them raw into our mouth. They also used to grow raspberries and tomatoes and we used to stuff ourselves with those too, although.as a young child I really did not like tomatoes much. That was an acquired taste for me. I have never tried to grow green beans. I am more of a fan of growing tomatoes. They are the one thing that always seems to work our for me.

 

[epicuric]

Having a fairly limited veg plot I do grow runner beans as they give a high yield for the space taken up. Usually grow around 24 plants up 12 canes which yields enough to eat a couple of times a week throughout the summer, give loads away to friends and neighbours and stock the freezer for a winter supply. Any left over can be made into chutney.

 

[Kake Lover]

I have a tiny plot which I cram as many runner beans in as I can. They are delicious but I try to pick them at about 6 to 8 inches long, (16 to 20 cm )while they are still tender.