Slender pod stringless green beans

TomNJ · March 25, 2020

My wife loves slender pod, French style green beans. I tried Triomphe de Farcy last year and we were chewing and chewing on strings. Any suggestions? Must be bush variety and NO STRINGS!

I did find Mascotte French Filet beans which seem to fit the bill. Anyone try these?

NewWestGardener · March 25, 2020

What about mxibel? I grew them for several years and they are pretty good, no strings for sure. A bit tallish for bush variety, but not to the point needing support.
https://www.westcoastseeds.com/colle.../maxibel-filet

tjg911 · March 26, 2020

Tom can't you just remove the string before cooking? I grow Mr. Tung and when picked young, 5" X 1/4-3/8" diameter, they do not have a string. They are a pole bean tho but I can send you some if you want to try them.

Nan_PA_6b · March 27, 2020

I grew these. They are bush beans, long slender pods, purple pods but they turn green when cooked, taste good and never had a string. The purple color of the raw pods makes them very easy to see when picking.

https://www.jungseed.com/product/J01094/494

Whwoz · March 27, 2020

Two that I currently have in the ground here are Bonaparte and Windsor Long Pod. Both bush beans and pretty much stringless. Don't know if you can get them over there though

zipcode · March 27, 2020

The problem is any variety will be advertised as superduper stringless, which is probably true if you pick at just the right stage (which may be longer if grown in a mild climate for example).

So basically you will have to try at least a few varieties. I know someone that swears by Landreth stringless.

b54red · March 27, 2020

Tom, over the years I have tried a lot of French filet type beans and most are very tasty and they range in size a good bit. I found that most were not as consistent in production as I would like until I found Maxibel. I have been growing them exclusively for around ten years now and they almost never disappoint. The beans are longer than many Ff types and they are pretty good at remaining string-less unless you let them mature for far too long before you pick them. It is pretty hot down here and they still produce wonderfully where many other didn't and they are easy to pick. A fully mature pod can be anywhere from 7 to 10 inches long but they usually are 8 to 9 inches but if you want them smaller just pick a day earlier.

Bill

TomNJ · March 27, 2020

Thanks all! Maxibel looks ideal, and Landreth Stringless may also suit the bill, so I ordered both and will give them a try this season.

Hi Tom - Welcome back! Nah, I'd rather not pull strings if I don't have to. Too much hassle when blanching and freezing hundreds of beans.

Jeannine Anne · March 28, 2020

Tom, I have grown Mascotte a few times in a container, they are very slender and have a great flavour.. Maxibel are a bit longer and it is a bigger plant. My favourite filet is Masai though, the beans are small as is the plant but the flavour is excellent.

Fortex is a pole but they can be harvested young as filet beans..no strings on any of the ones I have mentioned.I have grown all of them.

TomNJ · March 28, 2020

Thanks Jeannine. With the additions of Maxibel and Landreth Stringless, along with my standard Roma II, my bean allocation is filled for 2020, but I'll give Masai a try next year.

whoose · March 28, 2020

Fortex beans are the best I have ever grown, big, no strings and grow every well in a Greenhouse.
Can't miss!! Not bush but can be dealt with.

Jeannine Anne · March 28, 2020

Yes I grow them in a greenhouse and I had beans until November

FarmerShawn · March 29, 2020

Here's another voice for both Maxibel and Fortex. I grow both, because Maxibel comes in pretty early, and about the time they're finishing up, the Fortex are ready. While Fortex are very nice when small and slender, they are also superb when they get big and fat and almost seem gone by.

greenthumbomaha · March 29, 2020

Nice to see you posting again, Jeannie Ann. I enjoy reading your descriptions of the unusual varieties you grow. I didn't know or remember that you had a greenhouse.
I have certainly never heard of growing string beans under cover.
Whoose, you are in a warmer zone than myself. Is your season so short that you need to grow under cover to get a mature crop?

- Lisa

whoose · March 30, 2020

Yes Snowed last June and Frost mid September. I am at 6000 feet in the Norther Rockies and nothing really has time to make it. The only exception are some hot peppers.
Greenhouse is the only real ways to have any production.

March 25, 2020	#1
TomNJ Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2009 Location: Floyd VA Posts: 771	Slender pod stringless green beans My wife loves slender pod, French style green beans. I tried Triomphe de Farcy last year and we were chewing and chewing on strings. Any suggestions? Must be bush variety and NO STRINGS! I did find Mascotte French Filet beans which seem to fit the bill. Anyone try these? Last edited by TomNJ; March 25, 2020 at 03:04 PM.

March 26, 2020	#3
tjg911 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: zone 5b northwest connecticut Posts: 2,570	Tom can't you just remove the string before cooking? I grow Mr. Tung and when picked young, 5" X 1/4-3/8" diameter, they do not have a string. They are a pole bean tho but I can send you some if you want to try them. __________________ I need a hero I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the end of the night He’s gotta be strong And he’s gotta be fast And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight I need a hero I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the morning light He’s gotta be sure And it’s gotta be soon And he’s gotta be larger than life

March 28, 2020	#11
whoose Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Bozeman, Montana Zone 6b Posts: 333	Fortex Fortex beans are the best I have ever grown, big, no strings and grow every well in a Greenhouse. Can't miss!! Not bush but can be dealt with. Last edited by whoose; March 28, 2020 at 02:41 PM.

March 29, 2020	#13
FarmerShawn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Vermont Posts: 1,001	Here's another voice for both Maxibel and Fortex. I grow both, because Maxibel comes in pretty early, and about the time they're finishing up, the Fortex are ready. While Fortex are very nice when small and slender, they are also superb when they get big and fat and almost seem gone by. __________________ "Red meat is NOT bad for you. Now blue-green meat, THAT'S bad for you!" -- Tommy Smothers

March 25, 2020	#2
NewWestGardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada Posts: 564	What about mxibel? I grew them for several years and they are pretty good, no strings for sure. A bit tallish for bush variety, but not to the point needing support. https://www.westcoastseeds.com/colle.../maxibel-filet

March 27, 2020	#4
Nan_PA_6b Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 3,194	I grew these. They are bush beans, long slender pods, purple pods but they turn green when cooked, taste good and never had a string. The purple color of the raw pods makes them very easy to see when picking. https://www.jungseed.com/product/J01094/494

March 27, 2020	#5
Whwoz Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Victoria, Australia Posts: 870	Two that I currently have in the ground here are Bonaparte and Windsor Long Pod. Both bush beans and pretty much stringless. Don't know if you can get them over there though

March 27, 2020	#6
zipcode Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6 Posts: 1,582	The problem is any variety will be advertised as superduper stringless, which is probably true if you pick at just the right stage (which may be longer if grown in a mild climate for example). So basically you will have to try at least a few varieties. I know someone that swears by Landreth stringless.

March 27, 2020	#7
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	Tom, over the years I have tried a lot of French filet type beans and most are very tasty and they range in size a good bit. I found that most were not as consistent in production as I would like until I found Maxibel. I have been growing them exclusively for around ten years now and they almost never disappoint. The beans are longer than many Ff types and they are pretty good at remaining string-less unless you let them mature for far too long before you pick them. It is pretty hot down here and they still produce wonderfully where many other didn't and they are easy to pick. A fully mature pod can be anywhere from 7 to 10 inches long but they usually are 8 to 9 inches but if you want them smaller just pick a day earlier. Bill

March 28, 2020	#9
Jeannine Anne Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 1,553	Tom, I have grown Mascotte a few times in a container, they are very slender and have a great flavour.. Maxibel are a bit longer and it is a bigger plant. My favourite filet is Masai though, the beans are small as is the plant but the flavour is excellent. Fortex is a pole but they can be harvested young as filet beans..no strings on any of the ones I have mentioned.I have grown all of them.

March 29, 2020	#14
greenthumbomaha Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Omaha Zone 5 Posts: 2,514	Nice to see you posting again, Jeannie Ann. I enjoy reading your descriptions of the unusual varieties you grow. I didn't know or remember that you had a greenhouse. I have certainly never heard of growing string beans under cover. Whoose, you are in a warmer zone than myself. Is your season so short that you need to grow under cover to get a mature crop? - Lisa