I live 20 miles south of Greenville SC, so I am fairly close by and have the hot dry summers. I have had good luck with cranberry beans as a green shelly. I just buy them from the grocery store and plant them. They taste really good at the green but fully developed stage, so so when dry. They freeze very good also.

A word of caution though, they are packed with Gas! That is why I don't grow them anymore! LOL

Most of the common beans I grow as shellies would probably be as out of place in a hot climate as most limas are here. I'll have to go through my records, to see what shellies I might have sent to hot weather climes, and inquire as to their performance. Could take awhile... sounds like a good Winter project. ;-) I'll try to post info on this thread if I find any encouraging results.

I love common beans as shellies; but my interest in growing them was (at least initially) driven by the difficulty of growing limas in Wisconsin. I really missed the butterbean limas I grew when I lived in California, and was looking for alternatives that would be more reliable in my short, often cool summers. That search has been rewarding... but if I lived in a hot climate, I would probably be experimenting with the many heirloom limas as shell beans. There's a thread on a great one near the top of this forum.

Having said that... just because something is difficult doesn't mean it's not worth trying. After a lot of trial & error, I've learned to improve my success with limas here (I had to use transplants). It might take special measures to grow shellies in hot climates, perhaps the use of shade cloth, or planting as early in the season as possible. Only one way to find out.

Beans from the Appalachians (such as those sold by Bill Best) or from the desert Southwest (from Native Seeds/SEARCH) might have the best heat resistance, and would be a great place to start.

I believe I was told that the Ma Williams did well in Texas. It makes a fine shellie.

The Birds Egg 3 might be trialed in Florida soon. I don't know why it wouldn't survive in Georgia. It needs a long season, so maybe it likes heat.

Also look at the runner bean thread. Runner beans not only make large beans and grow in hot climates but the root may survive from year to year and resprout. The root may also be edible.

Wertach - LOL! I just made a recipe of hummus out of black beans (canned for first try - next time will soak, cook, mush). The flavor of black beans instead of garbanzos was fabulous! And fortunately we both eat them... :) I will try the cranberry beans - they were common in New England produce sections years ago - love the flavor.

Zeedman - thank you - I hope you find your notes. I love reading your descriptions of different beans. You're so dedicated. :) I'm excited that I can grow limas here - tho my Fordhooks are not doing so well this year - but they are blooming again, so maybe our lower temps are agreeable with them. I used to garden in Mass. and grew limas one year with much coddling (raised beds, what are now called low tunnels...).

Perhaps the shell beans would do well planted in late March/April - my bush beans did amazingly well this March. I will search the two sources you mentioned - I'm finding beans to be more addictive than any other veggie.

HappyDay - The Birds Egg3 - how would I ask to trial some seeds? I'm unclear on how one gets involved. That thread is what really motivated my questions. Runner beans - I will go read. I would love a bean that would regrow. And I have some questions on beans that were supposed to be "bush" that found a trellis and decided to become pole beans... but that's another thread.

Thank you - I'll definitely pick up some cranberry beans. And search for more options. The challenge for me is to keep enough space to grow all the other veggies without having to dig up and fence more space.

pinto beans as shellies are awesome. And they are a staple of Mexican Food here in Texas, They will grow in heat if you can get them half grown before the hot weather. They do great in a Fall garden. Regards