Scarlet runner beans.

[PhilaGardener]

If you want to save seed, pick a plant or two and let the pods mature and dry on the vine like any other bean.

I've grown both Scarlet Runner and IWK here in the mid-Atlantic - both seemed to shut down production in hot Summer months, but then picked up again in the Fall when things got cooler.

For Folks in SoCal or FL (maybe Gulf Coast to TX), runners have the potential to perennialize in very mild climates. You might see if they come back next year.

[Worth1]

Somewhere on this forum I stated I had two black seeds front the IWK seeds I got.
I took careful consideration as to where I planted these plants.
Today I pulled all of the dry pods I had.
The plants that came from the two black seeds produced 100% black beans.
The plants are still alive and kicking.

Worth

[AlittleSalt]

Black beans. My IWK produced dark speckled beans.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

Black beans. My IWK produced dark speckled beans.

Mine did too but I had two plants from black beans that produced back beans.

[aftermidnight]

Actually Insuk's Wang Kong can be a mixture of seed coat color, speckled, splotched, solid black or white.
I'll try and post a picture, if it doesn't work, my apologies.
So far this is the best I can do, I hope this works.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...ang%20Kong.jpg


Annette

[Labradors2]

That's very interesting Annette! Thanks for sharing.

I am growing IWK for the first time this year, and figured that they should look the same as regular runner beans. I would have thought that the black and white seeds had crossed with something else in my garden. Now I will know not to worry if they are not speckled.

Linda

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Labradors2

That's very interesting Annette! Thanks for sharing.

I am growing IWK for the first time this year, and figured that they should look the same as regular runner beans. I would have thought that the black and white seeds had crossed with something else in my garden. Now I will know not to worry if they are not speckled.

Linda

I can guarantee you that if you plant the black ones if you have any they will come out black.
Mine did every one of them were black on those vines.
They also seemed to produce much better here.

[aftermidnight]

I read somewhere solid black's had a sweeter taste and one person who grew only the white seed was disappointed as they reverted back to vines producing red flowers and the seed was pink, speckled and splotched. I have yet to experiment with the seed I have, the last couple of years I've been growing 'Aeron Purple Star' so tender and stringless to boot.

Annette

[Zeedman]

Originally Posted by aftermidnight

I read somewhere solid black's had a sweeter taste...

Annette

That might have been one of my posts, since I observed that trait in my last grow out. The flavor of the all-black beans was noticeably sweeter (IMO) than the black & purple beans.

IWK originally appeared to be a land race, but the ease with which the colors can be separated (or eliminated) has been frequently mentioned by those who have grown it. Believing the white beans to be the result of a recent cross, I planted only the black or purple beans - and eliminated the white-seeded variant in one generation. Chances are that the all-black could be isolated too, but I don't know how different that would be from existing black-seeded cultivars such as Black Knight or Black Coat... and IWK (even without the white) has exceptional vigor.

Not sure if user Fusion_power posts here, but he has stated his belief that IWK is more of a mixture than a land race, and that does appear to be possible.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Zeedman

That might have been one of my posts, since I observed that trait in my last grow out. The flavor of the all-black beans was noticeably sweeter (IMO) than the black & purple beans.

IWK originally appeared to be a land race, but the ease with which the colors can be separated (or eliminated) has been frequently mentioned by those who have grown it. Believing the white beans to be the result of a recent cross, I planted only the black or purple beans - and eliminated the white-seeded variant in one generation. Chances are that the all-black could be isolated too, but I don't know how different that would be from existing black-seeded cultivars such as Black Knight or Black Coat... and IWK (even without the white) has exceptional vigor.

Not sure if user Fusion_power posts here, but he has stated his belief that IWK is more of a mixture than a land race, and that does appear to be possible.

I'm glad you posted on this.
My intention is to segregate the back beans.
Oddly enough I couldn't care less about tomatoes but I do beans I have no idea why.

Worth

[xellos99]

I have grown many runner beans in Wales UK.

One year I did a trial with many varieties and I remember the name Red Scarlet was in the trial.

As far as I remember it did well but was beaten by two varieties.

Polestar and White Lady were superior varieties.

Plus I`m sure there was improved selections of red scarlet and an early version also.

[bower]

Do you plant runner beans at the same time as peas? Or are they cold sensitive?
Also wondering if they could be trained horizontally on a low trellis or do they just want to go up?
I have a few 'Liberty' and some Insuk's Wang Kong I want to try.
Not a lot of space for starting indoors - they would have to go out when less than a foot high.

[xellos99]

Originally Posted by bower

Do you plant runner beans at the same time as peas? Or are they cold sensitive?
Also wondering if they could be trained horizontally on a low trellis or do they just want to go up?
I have a few 'Liberty' and some Insuk's Wang Kong I want to try.
Not a lot of space for starting indoors - they would have to go out when less than a foot high.

they want to twist around anything but not sure about horizontal sorry.

they are more delicate than tomato plants lol,

they hate the cold and I found they cant be planted out in the UK until end of may but safer in early june because if you get frost they are all dead

[zendog]

Reading the various threads on beans here is dangerous. I was looking at a few threads on runners and before I knew it I was ordering a pack of Benchmaster runners from baker. I hope they taste good, but I'll admit I'm also looking forward to the county fair in September. I just hope I get enough cooler days here to get beans setting over the summer.

I saw some cool purple podded ones when searching around, but didn't find anyone selling them here in the US. If anyone knows where they are available I might be able to squeeze just one more thing in...

[bower]

Originally Posted by xellos99

they want to twist around anything but not sure about horizontal sorry.

they are more delicate than tomato plants lol,

they hate the cold and I found they cant be planted out in the UK until end of may but safer in early june because if you get frost they are all dead

Ah... thanks. Like the regular beans then. We have a really hard time to grow a bean here. Don't get bean planting temperatures until July... if we get them at all. And they are cold stressed before they're done making beans, more times than not. It is not shaping up to be a bean year, so I guess I'll keep them for another year.