Beans with mold

Labradors2 · October 4, 2015

I harvested my pole beans then, when they got past it, I left them to mature on the vines for a couple of months. We had a lot of rain recently, but it is dry now. I just picked a whole pile of brown pods, some of which had black mold on the outside. When I shelled them, some of the beans had white mold inside. It looks as if it will easily wipe off but.......

Should I just keep them for cooking or would they be ok to save and grow next year?

I've Googled this, and haven't really come up with a solution. I don't think that it's white mold, but some kind of mold that blows in on the wind and rain around here.

Linda

PhilaGardener · October 4, 2015

I have a lot of trouble with mold, and also with seeds sprouting in the pods, when we have damp Fall weather on the East Coast. No good answers except to keep picking pods as they go limp and shell ASAP. I have to watch the seed carefully as it dries as well.

AlittleSalt · October 5, 2015

Linda, I'm an overly-cautious type person. I would toss those with mold myself. But that's just me. I believe in being safe first - probably to a fault.

I know that isn't what you asked - it's just what I would do.

dustdevil · November 1, 2015

Pitch the moldy seed. In the future, if the forecast is for excessive rain, try to pick and shell before it hits as long as the pods are tanish and basically dry. Spread the seeds out on a tray and try to let them dry inside for at least a couple of weeks. When it's very wet, the seeds inside the pods will sometimes start to sprout.

PS: Black mildew stains on the outside is common during rainy times. Look at the INSIDE to see if it's whitish and clean...that's alright.

Labradors2 · November 1, 2015

Thanks folks! I do try to pick them before we get a deluge of rain. It's good to know that the outside doesn't necessarily reflect what's happening on the inside! I managed to harvest enough beans in the end that I didn't need to bother with those moldy ones.....

Linda

whoose · December 30, 2015

Lived in Victoria BC and the beans/peas molded in green pods, throw them out.

happydog · January 26, 2016

A few years back I had a crop failure on my Good Mother Stallard beans. I think my seed was old. To console myself, I bought a 25lb sack of Good Mother Stallard beans from Chili Smith. I kept meaning to seal them into buckets or jars, but I never got around to it. I had them stored in the (damp) root cellar.

Long story short, when I dug a pound of beans out to use, they were kind of dusty. I rinsed them really good till the water finally ran clear. Then I soaked them for 12 hours with several rinses, and made a huge pot of sausage, bean and squash stew. While we were eating them I got the distinct flavor of mold, and realized what the "dust" was.

My advice is to pitch them before cooking. I also live in a climate with a lot of rainfall. I've learned that I need to pick early and let my beans finish drying inside. Because once they've started molding you sure as heck can't just wash it off and eat them. Mold does not make a good seasoning.

They might be ok for planting, if the mold isn't too bad. You could do a germination test and see. Or just throw out the visibly moldy ones and plant the rest.

Labradors2 · January 26, 2016

Thanks for sharing your mouldy bean experience with us Happydog! Mold is not good

.

Linda

October 4, 2015	#1
Labradors2 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 3,894	Beans with mold I harvested my pole beans then, when they got past it, I left them to mature on the vines for a couple of months. We had a lot of rain recently, but it is dry now. I just picked a whole pile of brown pods, some of which had black mold on the outside. When I shelled them, some of the beans had white mold inside. It looks as if it will easily wipe off but....... Should I just keep them for cooking or would they be ok to save and grow next year? I've Googled this, and haven't really come up with a solution. I don't think that it's white mold, but some kind of mold that blows in on the wind and rain around here. Linda

November 1, 2015	#4
dustdevil Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: WI, USA Zone4 Posts: 1,887	Pitch the moldy seed. In the future, if the forecast is for excessive rain, try to pick and shell before it hits as long as the pods are tanish and basically dry. Spread the seeds out on a tray and try to let them dry inside for at least a couple of weeks. When it's very wet, the seeds inside the pods will sometimes start to sprout. PS: Black mildew stains on the outside is common during rainy times. Look at the INSIDE to see if it's whitish and clean...that's alright. Last edited by dustdevil; November 1, 2015 at 02:05 PM.

December 30, 2015	#6
whoose Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Bozeman, Montana Zone 6b Posts: 333	Victoria BC Lived in Victoria BC and the beans/peas molded in green pods, throw them out.

October 4, 2015	#2
PhilaGardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Near Philadelphia, PA Posts: 1,940	I have a lot of trouble with mold, and also with seeds sprouting in the pods, when we have damp Fall weather on the East Coast. No good answers except to keep picking pods as they go limp and shell ASAP. I have to watch the seed carefully as it dries as well.

October 5, 2015	#3
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	Linda, I'm an overly-cautious type person. I would toss those with mold myself. But that's just me. I believe in being safe first - probably to a fault. I know that isn't what you asked - it's just what I would do.

January 26, 2016	#7
happydog Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Appalachian Mountains NC Posts: 151	A few years back I had a crop failure on my Good Mother Stallard beans. I think my seed was old. To console myself, I bought a 25lb sack of Good Mother Stallard beans from Chili Smith. I kept meaning to seal them into buckets or jars, but I never got around to it. I had them stored in the (damp) root cellar. Long story short, when I dug a pound of beans out to use, they were kind of dusty. I rinsed them really good till the water finally ran clear. Then I soaked them for 12 hours with several rinses, and made a huge pot of sausage, bean and squash stew. While we were eating them I got the distinct flavor of mold, and realized what the "dust" was. My advice is to pitch them before cooking. I also live in a climate with a lot of rainfall. I've learned that I need to pick early and let my beans finish drying inside. Because once they've started molding you sure as heck can't just wash it off and eat them. Mold does not make a good seasoning. They might be ok for planting, if the mold isn't too bad. You could do a germination test and see. Or just throw out the visibly moldy ones and plant the rest.