Dry Bush Bean Round-Up 2023

   This summer's bean round-up posted in December?  Better late than never! 

   It is has been a mild week leading up to Christmas.  As I type, it is is 8 degrees and sunny outside at 12:35PM.  A 'Winter Wonderland' it is not.  I feel for the children who will be itching to put the toboggans and Crazy Carpets they receive for Christmas to good use ASAP. 

   It was another hot, dry summer.  Summers like this seem to be increasingly common here.  The beans thrived in this weather, with many varieties drying down on the plants outside.  That was practically unheard of when I began gardening here 15+ years ago.  I think it's safe to say our town is no longer considered to be a zone 2 growing area.

This summer's dry bush beans (click to enlarge):

Coco Jaune de Chine - grown out from 10 older beans I had on hand.  A rare variety that is on the late side.

 

Fiesta - pretty, plump, large beans. I grew out 9 that were obtained in a trade.  The plants are large and top-heavy.  This was a late bean to dry, possibly tied with the Green Hutterite beans.

 

 

Arikara - many pods were already drying down on the plants in the first week of August.  This was the earliest variety of the season.  Productive!

 

Early Warwick - productive, pretty, and dependable.  The third earliest variety of the season.

 

Yer Fasal - a Turkish heirloom.  They remind me of coffee beans!  I grew them out from the 9 beans I received in a trade. 

Heritage Mix - this mix includes the following varieties, listed from earliest to latest to dry:

1) Swedish Brown (very productive, early)

2) Mitla Black (very productive, early)

3) Small White Navy

4) Purple Gnuttle Amish (pretty)

5) Green Hutterite (most of the pods still firm/damp when I picked them in mid-September.  The least productive of the 5 varieties in this mix.)

 

Tene's Beans - A marrowfat type bean.  Grown out from 9 or 10 older beans I had in my stash.  Large plants that can be top heavy.  They are late in the season to dry down, but this is one of my favourite beans for flavour.

 

Beka Brown - grown out from 7 older beans I had.  This is a dependable, early, and productive variety I've grown several times before.

 

 

Mrocumiere - grown out from 7 older beans I had.  A Kenyan heirloom with a pretty lavender colour.  They are great for dips and creamy soups.

 

 

Weiner Trieb - another variety that had pods trying down in early August.  This was the second earliest variety of the season.

 

Not pictured:  Orca (grown out from 5 beans I obtained in a trade) and Ruckle (a dependable, early variety - I grew 10 out this year).