Worst Ever Fall Bean Crop

[MuddyToes]

I never did anything to the little Dixie Speckled Butterpeas bush Limas though and I had the highest yield from them by far. They are still producing.

[Zone9b]

Originally Posted by MuddyToes

I never did anything to the little Dixie Speckled Butterpeas bush Limas though and I had the highest yield from them by far. They are still producing.

That’s good to know that Dixie Speckled Butterpea Bush Limas worked so well for you.
I’m going to put them on my list to give a try. I’ve been trying to find a good lima pole and a good lima bush to grow here. I found a bush lima that appears to be working well, that being Jackson Wonder Lima Bush. I planted them in August and they are now loaded with flowers and quite a few beans. At this time I am picking them while the bean inside is immature, then cooking pod and tiny beans without shelling. The taste is very good.
I have just started harvesting Espada Bush Snap Beans and it appears they are going to do well here in the fall. They are very disease resistant but their taste is not quite as good as I would like. I hope to give Boone Bush Snap a try in my 2017 Spring Garden. It is also quite disease resistant and I’m hoping that it might have a taste on par with say Jade II Bush Snap beans.
I am also growing 1 variety of Pole Lima and 6 varieties of Pole Snaps and 2 other varieties of Bush Snaps. None in very large quantities, but hopefully enough to give me a better idea as to what I can grow successfully here in Central Florida. The fall seems to be a more difficult time to grow beans here than the spring.
Larry

[MuddyToes]

I'll look into the Espada's. Thanks for the tip. My only complaint about the DSB is that they are so low to the ground. I have to sit and practically put my nose on the ground to find some of the pods. :-/

[b54red]

Despite the horrendous drought we are experiencing my beans are doing okay for fall plants. They are much smaller than in the spring but they are loaded with blooms and some very small beans. The whiteflies are everywhere this fall but so far the beans are withstanding their heavy presence without wilting. I did mulch mine this fall because of the drought and think it has made a real difference. I'm pretty sure that without the mulch they would be in much worse shape.

Bill

[Zone9b]

Originally Posted by b54red

Despite the horrendous drought we are experiencing my beans are doing okay for fall plants. They are much smaller than in the spring but they are loaded with blooms and some very small beans. The whiteflies are everywhere this fall but so far the beans are withstanding their heavy presence without wilting. I did mulch mine this fall because of the drought and think it has made a real difference. I'm pretty sure that without the mulch they would be in much worse shape.

Bill

My beans definitely look better this fall than last fall. I don’t see any disease on them. I’ve picked most of them once but they currently aren’t all that productive. Hopefully they will improve over the next couple of weeks. Of the pole snap beans Rattlesnake and Grandma Robert’s Purple pole are doing the best. Alabama #1, Barnes Mountain and Fortex Cross are not looking like they will produce a lot of beans. Kentucky Wonder Pole is taking it’s time but it may come through with descent production.
The 3 varieties of bush snaps (Espada, Crockett and Jade) that I have planted all look like they will do a fair job this season.
I have 5 poles of Alabama Black Running Lima Beans and the plants are huge and they have a lot of beans on them. Hopefully the pods will fill out. I also have a couple of short rows of Jackson Wonder Lima Bush Beans that
have a lot of beans that remain to fill out.
When it is time for the 2017 Spring crop I hope to have a much better idea what to grow, so I can concentrate on them. I think Rattlesnake and Grandma Roberts Purple Pole will definitely make the cut.
Larry

[Zone9b]

I'm still browing Bush Beans, however I gave up on growing pole beans. In the beginning I had very good luck with Rattlesnake and Fortex Cross poles but it got so I couldn't get good results. The varities that I am using now are Pike and Cassidy bush beans. Both these varieties produce dark green, small sieve, straight beans and both tend to stand up well. For me Pike produces a concentrated set and Cassidy offers more of a continuous pick. Currently I have a Raised Bed of Pike which should be ready to pick starting the end of October. By growing a concentrated set it allows to get the most out of them in a couple of picks and then I can move on with a crop of Broccoli in the same RB.

[PhilaGardener]

Funny, I've have a terrible time with bush beans because any pods that sit on my clay soil simply rot. Pole beans are so much better, especially I don't have to bend over to pick them!

[saltmarsh]

The only fungicide I use is Horsetail tea made from Equisetum arvense. Works especially well on Beans.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equisetum_arvense

If you are interested, I'd be happy to explain how to make a concentrated tea and how to use it. Claud



Rattlesnake Pole Beans Grown in Sand - No Commericial Fertilizers - No Animal Manures - No insecticides - No Commercial Fungicides - No Herbicides - No irrigation

[Tormato]

Well, 2018 was my worst seed saving year for beans. With rain 2 to 3 times week, just about everything (bush and pole) rotted while attempting to dry down. The bush yardlongs came in early before the rains, so at least I had a heavy harvest of those.

[Zone9b]

I made my first serious pick this fall of Pike Bush beans and it was subpar for this variety. I should get a couple of more picks but it doesn’t look like they will be any better. When I planted them I forgot to inoculate them. Also I watered a bit more than usual, maybe I over did it. But at least I have fresh snap beans to eat for a while and freeze a few. It’s too late now to plant again. When they come out I will fill the bed with Castle Dome Broccoli transplants. I will probably plant Pike beans again in the spring.
For anyone wanting to try a new pole bean variety, I would recommend Fortex Cross - 70 days - a cross from Darrel Jones. I grew them with considerable success in the past and they tasted very good to me. I see Sand Hill Preservation Center in Calamus, IA still lists them as available.