Single hen

[Old Speckled Hen]

Hello

Has anybody grown these?

Do you get enough beans to store or can you eat them like runner beans?

Thanks.

[Redwing]

I haven't grown them but I do have some to try this year, I think they are mainly for drying but hopefully someone more experienced will be able to enlighten us!

[Christian]

I have grown them for a couple of years and you can eat the whole bean when they are very young and small. They are best for drying and using during the winter, just leave them on the plant until the pod dries out and goes crispy.

 

They look good too

 

I feed mine with seaweed extract (I feed everything with seaweed)!

[Matthew]

I grew a row of them last year and have a large kilner jar of beans that we use for adding to stews etc..... they are quite a good green manure as well as they fix nitrogen into the soil if you leave the roots in the soil

[Old Speckled Hen]

Thanks everyone.

I will give these a go.

I'm trying some golden beetroot after watching HFW cook some.

[Tara.F]

you can dry them but you can also eat them fresh

 

on 'jaimie at home' last week, mr oliver cooked them fresh in a winter salad

[little chickadee]

They are soo beautiful when they are growing

[Valkyrie]

(I feed everything with seaweed)!

 

Anyone visiting Christian be warned!

 

I haven't grown these yet, but I would like to have a bash when we move, because I don't have the space available. Too much greeny beanstuff to go in the freezer instead. It would be nice to make your own baked beans.

[Mrs Frugal]

We grew some last year and ate loads like runner beans yet still ended up with 2 x 1 litre jars full of dried beans for using in casseroles. There would have been more but we weren't able to harvest the last few and the pods went mouldy. They are lovely in soups, stews and casseroles. You need to soak them overnight with a teaspoon of bicarb added to the water though and boil them for an hour before using (which I keep forgetting to do ).

[Matthew]

(I feed everything with seaweed)!

 

Anyone visiting Christian be warned!

 

I haven't grown these yet, but I would like to have a bash when we move, because I don't have the space available. Too much greeny beanstuff to go in the freezer instead. It would be nice to make your own baked beans.

 

Baked beans are made from Haricot beans aren't they?

[Valkyrie]

I have no idea - probably - anything goes in this house though! I'm afraid I put all dried beans into the same category!

[Phoebe]

I tried growing them last year, straight outside, and nothing happened. this year I will try starting them off indoors.

[Matthew]

I tried growing them last year, straight outside, and nothing happened. this year I will try starting them off indoors.

 

 

you could try starting them off on damp kitchen paper inside and then potting on when they germinate

[Abbey Road Girl]

Here in Cambridge a very eminent academic bred a bean which was less "anti-social". A bit silly, though, as adding a little (1/4 teaspoon wd probably do for most recipes) ground ginger will do the same thing w/o affecting the taste of the dish.

 

Hope this is useful. It really does work.

[Phoebe]

Matthew wrote

 

you could try starting them off on damp kitchen paper inside and then potting on when they germinate

 

thank you (belatedly !). I think I will try that as two lots I have started indoors in compost have failed to germinate.

[girlsmum]

I have grown borlotti beans for the last couple of years. I tend to harvest some and use them that day, put some that have just been shelled in the freezer (just as they are) and leave some on the plants to dry out for storage.

 

The beauty of the frozen ones is that you can just chuck them straight in the pot at any time of year. They taste delicious.

 

Girlsmum

[sunshinesupernova]

I've got a load germinated and sprouting nicely now. I've planted far far far too many in the shed - last year a lot of things didnt grow for me - so I planted extra to be sure (to be sure)

 

Don't know if they'd ship well wrapped in the post in a week or so once bigger.... but if you get desperate, let me know