Dry Bean Summary

The cold has arrived, the ground is starting to freeze up so I thought I would focus a post indoors today. This season I grew a nice variety of dry beans for the first time. They really reward the grower with lots of variation. Here is a shot of all the dry beans harvested this season:

I am pleased with the results from the beans. There was a 4'x4' area for the bush varieties and three 6' wigwams for the pole varieties. Given the small area they produced quite well. I have yet to cook any but given the weather some hearty meals will be cooked with them soon. A close up of each variety and description fallows:

Borlotti beans:
pole habit, very productive
seed shared by: Gary

True Red Cranberry beans:
pole habit, very productive
seed shared by: Kath

Soldier beans:
bush habit, low producer
seed shared by: Kath

Trail of Tears beans:
pole habit, very productive, produced two crops
seed shared by: Daphne

Vermont Cranberry beans:
bush habit, productive

Tiger's Eye beans:
bush habit, low producer

Purple Podded Pole beans:
pole habit, very productive
These were grown as a snap bean but the dry beans look
pretty good too. I'll report on their taste when I try them.