Need help with planning.

13 years ago

I've been looking at beans and learning about them for a while. I am an experienced gardener but never had to consider cross-pollination issues because we grew for mostly quantity and growth speed, so we really didn't deal with shelly beans or dried beans. We stuck mostly with green beans and wax beans for canning and freezing. My existing old garden is about 40 x 80 feet and the new plot behind the barn is about 30 x 50 feet. They are about 350 feet apart. Both of these plots will have some sweet corn growing in them. I am totally not experienced with the shellies and the dried beans.

I am totally lost as to what I can plant (I have to have at least some green beans and wax for the freezer), but I definitely want shelly beans because those are the only form of green or wax beans I actually like. I also want to grow some dried beans but really want something that is worth the time, effort, and space. I also want to grow something that I can't buy in a store.

Okay, so how do you folks even start planning something like this? I'm totally, totally unsure of everything at this point including whether these varieties will grow in this region. Even all the reading and research isn't helping enough especially when I see comments on day sensitivity, bugs, diseases, productivity, etc. Another question is who has larger seed packets of some of these heirloom varieties? Some of these seed packets are so tiny it would take years to build up a seed inventory, at least enough to feed your family.

Comments (3)

farmerdill
13 years ago
Wisconsin is a commercial producer of dried beans, with some 6200 acres last year. You should not have any major difficulties unless you are going for exotics. Wisconsin is the second leading producer of dark red kidney beans. Most dried beans just have a longer DTM than green beans, primarily because you have wait for them to dry. As for shellie beans either varieties commonly grown for dry beans or those grown for snap beans are used. Whatever meets your taste test. I agree that there is no way, a small grower can compete in price with commercial growers, so it would be advisable to grow something not readily available and cheap. There are about 3000 varieties of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and only a handful of those exhibit any unusual characteristics so I never concern myself with those. Commercially viable and or popular beans can be purchased in varying amounts from local feed and seeds or companies that cater to market or commercial growers.
zeedman Zone 5 Wisconsin
13 years ago
BK, just to back up what Fusion posted above, I am living testimony to the fact that you can grow dry beans in Wisconsin. Many of those I grow are not actually dry beans, but snaps or shellies grown for preservation. There are long-season varieties that are unsuited to our climate, especially some pole types... but there are also numerous varieties - both bush and pole - which will produce dry seed in our short summers.

"..., but I definitely want shelly beans because those are the only form of green or wax beans I actually like. I also want to grow some dried beans but really want something that is worth the time, effort, and space. I also want to grow something that I can't buy in a store."

I guess I'm a little confused by that first statement. Shellies can be either snap varieties (such as "Goose", and the heirloom "Bird Egg #3") or dry varieties (such as the Cranberry beans, and "Soissons Vert"). There are even wax beans that also make good shellies when allowed to mature; I've grown two pole varieties that were excellent.

For dry beans, there are many good varieties available through mail order, and most of them will grow here. However, unless you are into subsistence-level gardening, or really love the flavor of one particular bean, dry beans are one crop that it is often better & cheaper to buy than to grow. Although having said that... the flavor & texture of fresh-grown dry beans can be better than the same variety store-bought.

Good shelly beans are something which are seldom if ever sold in stores, so they might be what you are looking for. While any bean can be used for shellies, you are more likely to enjoy varieties bred for that purpose. Time was, not too long ago, that they were very hard to find commercially; but that is changing. Vermont Bean and SSE, among others, offer several varieties. The Borlotto and Cranberry beans (there are named varieties of both), as well as the superb flageolets, are just one web search away.

I would like to help you further offline, BK, but you don't enable email. Please contact me through the email link on my GW member page.
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fusion_power
13 years ago
Maybe I can toss two varieties into the mix that are worth at least a looksee. These are all pole varieties so please keep that in mind.

Turkey Craw is a brown and cream "frosted" bean that can be used 4 different ways.

Goose is a longer season variety that should be able to make shellies but may not set mature seed every year.

Dolloff is a bean you might consider. It is a pink flattened pole bean that is best picked and used as a green mature shelly. It is from New Hampshire so you should not have any issues with hardiness.

DarJones