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macmex

Cherokee Striped Cornhill (Pole Bean)

Macmex
10 years ago

So as not to hijack another thread, I'm starting a new one. Here's some previous correspondence concerning this bean:
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Posted by macmex 6b (My Page) on
Mon, Jun 3, 13 at 13:52

Hey Tony!

I'm growing Cherokee Striped Cornhill, again this year. First year I grew it, it produced gangbusters, and it was outstanding. The next two years, it almost failed to produce enough seed to replace what I planted. My suspicion is that our EXTREME heat and drought affected it. So, I'm trying again; got it in early, and, this year, so far it looks like we're going to have a milder year.

George
Tahlequah, OK

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Posted by blueflint z6a OH (My Page) on
Sun, Jun 16, 13 at 21:30

I hope the Cherokee Striped does better for you. It usually is an outstanding producer but...like most Appalachian beans (including Cherokee), they do not like extreme heat. Seems most Appalachian beans drop flowers with extreme heat, drought or hot nights. One summer I was having problems getting one bean to set, I then decided to shower it with a sprinkler head on a garden hose every day...in about 10 days, I had tons of pods setting.

Let me know how they do, it is usually a huge producer.

Tony

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Comments (9)

  • Macmex
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Yes Tony, I am truly hoping that's the only problem. The one year it did produce for us, my wife was so impressed with it, that she has asked me to grow it every year since.

    We did give some seed to some friends, about an hour away, who are retired. They have had no problem with it. I can only think of only two main differences in how they've grown it:

    1) They plant as early as possible. Since they are retired, they always manage to do this. I struggle.

    2) They have some trees close to the garden. So I believe their beans get some shade during the day.

    Anyway, I got ours in pretty early this year, and, it appears that our summer is going to be a bit cooler with more precipitation. I'm hoping!

    George

  • drloyd
    10 years ago

    Hi George. After reading all your GardenWeb comments and the SSE Yearbook entries about this bean I have put it on my 2014 list. Hopefully it will not be so late here in the PNW. -- Dick

  • Macmex
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Just for anyone's information: the first year I grew this bean, I grew it on Mesquakie Indian corn, which has strong stalks. I might have started it on corn that was almost ready to silk, which is late. Anyway, by the time the bean started producing, the corn broke in half, leaving only about 4' of support. But Cherokee Cornfield still produced a nice large crop. Since then, I have only grown it on strong poles.

    In 2008 I had Cherokee Striped Cornfield pollen get on a flower of Fowler Bush Bean (which has dark coffee shaped seed). I grew one of these crossed seed in a bed of Fowler Beans, in 2009. That one plant got nicknamed the "Skyscraper bean." It was HUGE and vigorous. The pods were stringless, like Fowler, though not as tender. The resulting F2 seed was dark coffee colored, but easier to shell than Fowler. I sent some of this seed to a GW member who grew it out and reported three variations in the F2 generation. One had kind of dark purple seed. Another had the dark coffee colored seed. The least prevalent variation looked like the seed of Cherokee Striped Cornfield. I have not grown any of these out. It just stays on my wish list.

    Another bean, which I grow out every so many years, is Tarahumara Pink Green Bean, which is a VERY vigorous pole bean at this latitude. When I grew it at the 20th parallel, it was like a regular pole bean, But this far North it only flowers around the first week of September. Fortunately, then entire plant bursts into clouds of pink flowers, and it has always matured seed for me, even in NJ. But the vines! Oh my! I've had ONE PLANT snap a regular pole. I then leaned the broken pole into a new, stronger pole, tying loosely to keep it in place. The vine engulfed both poles and then leaped over to grab onto 5' tomato cage, jumping from that cage onto three more cages and completely smothering four tomato plants. That one vine produced 2 quarts of nice large, pink, kidney shaped beans. It would be a good one for shellies. The snaps are only usable as such for a few days. But they are SWEET. I always think this one would be great to serve as raw snaps with a dip. This year I'm growing Tarahumara Pink Green Bean on 1) a pole attached to a telephone pole, 2) a fence & 3) a 15' elm tree in the front yard. Am greatly looking forward to the flower show in the fall.

    George

  • pmjonesjr45
    8 years ago

    This is the second year we have grown "Telephone Pole". 2014 it took off and was doing quite well until it down the pole. 2015 I planted 8 seeds on one of our line poles that takes power out to one of the pivots. What a success. We are 6a, high desert, nuclear sun with maybe an in of rain a month when luck is with us Set a 350 gallon skid tank out and drip watered it. Put a bunch of a sunflowers 3' away N, S and east around it

    Going to plant more "poles" next year.


  • philagardener
    8 years ago

    Sort of wondering from George ultimately how the telephone pole and elm tree fared with Cherokee Striped Cornfield. Bet the fence didn't have a chance :>)

  • Macmex
    Original Author
    8 years ago

    Well, Philagardener, That was in 2013, a very bad year on account of grasshoppers. My Tarahumara Pink Green Bean plants started up the pole and were completely consumed by grasshoppers. Last year (2014) I was unable to get any to germinate, as was the case this year. I just did a final germination test on a quart of seed. None germinated. So, I'm thinking I might try to track down someone who received seed from me in the past and try and get a new start from them.

    I did grow Tarahumara Purple Ojos this year, and it did exceedingly well. It, too, has great heat resistance.

  • philagardener
    8 years ago

    Good luck recovering that variety - I hope for a good ending to that story.

  • drloyd
    8 years ago

    At SSE, Anthony West and Millard Murdock offer it.

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