Your Favorite Dry Bean

[Meadowlark]

Beautiful photos
I'd like to try that bingo bean
Is your asparagus bean black seeded or tan?

Thanks.
Definitely recommend the Bingo.
Hmmm...sorry I don't remember.

 

[Ruderunner]

Just a comment on meadowlarks signature, it works both ways.

You'll never grow unless you know.

 

[Meadowlark]

Just a comment on meadowlarks signature, it works both ways.

You'll never grow unless you know.

I guess I need to work on a new one

 

[Ruderunner]

I find it useful either way

 

[Martin Mikulcik]

I'm getting a few tepary beans now, and i like them, more productive than i thought they'd be

 

[Gemma]

I love kidney beans and Garbanzo beans the most, but I only grow wax beans, green beans and Hyacinth bean (ornamental), I can't seem to grow any of the pole beans

 

[Martin Mikulcik]

I love kidney beans and Garbanzo beans the most, but I only grow wax beans, green beans and Hyacinth bean (ornamental), I can't seem to grow any of the pole beans

Hyacinth tastes good too
Have you tried scarlet runner, they are very ornamental to me
What do the pole beans do for you?

 

[Meadowlark]

I'm getting a few tepary beans now, and i like them, more productive than i thought they'd be

That is an interesting bean I'm thinking worth trying here, especially in the dry days of summer. The comps to pintos are favorable:

Feature	Tepary beans	Pinto beans
Protein	Higher (23–25%)	Moderate (≈20%)
Minerals	Higher Ca, Fe, Zn	Moderate
Glycemic impact	Lower GI (supports glucose control)	Moderate GI
Cooking time	55–80 min depending on soaking	Typically longer
Texture	Firmer; less creamy	Creamy, soft
Flavor	Nutty, earthy	Mild, slightly sweet
Climate tolerance	Extreme heat/drought tolerance	Needs more water

At 60 days to maturity, I've got a good shot at bringing in a crop...going to give it a run for the money.

 

[Martin Mikulcik]

That is an interesting bean I'm thinking worth trying here, especially in the dry days of summer. The comps to pintos are favorable:

Feature	Tepary beans	Pinto beans
Protein	Higher (23–25%)	Moderate (≈20%)
Minerals	Higher Ca, Fe, Zn	Moderate
Glycemic impact	Lower GI (supports glucose control)	Moderate GI
Cooking time	55–80 min depending on soaking	Typically longer
Texture	Firmer; less creamy	Creamy, soft
Flavor	Nutty, earthy	Mild, slightly sweet
Climate tolerance	Extreme heat/drought tolerance	Needs more water

At 60 days to maturity, I've got a good shot at bringing in a crop...going to give it a run for the money.

I think they will do great, yields will be smaller but hey, not everything is about yields

 

[DiggersJo]

I don't know anyone who has grown beans in the UK to provide dry produce, although I'm sure there will be people here doing so. If I were growing such, it would likely be chickpeas/ceci/garbanzo as we found them so versatile; green as hummus , in salad and when ripe good to store. All second best here with the beans coming in a can at 400g for under 50p , we have most of those the most common supermarkets carry (I asked ChatGPT to list them);
Kidney beans (red and white)

Haricot (navy) beans – used in baked beans.

Cannellini beans – white Italian beans.

Borlotti beans – speckled pink beans.

Black beans

Pinto beans

Butter beans (large lima beans)

Black-eyed beans (black-eyed peas)

Chickpeas

We like them all, but after chickpeas it would likely be black beans or butter beans , for all of them the quality here is on the poor side. Even tin (canned) beans in Italy are far better quality than here - no idea how or why. Just now we are in heaven as it is green bean season and we are getting enough per day now to add to meals... What would those of you outside the UK call these we bought on Amazon here. They have them as French climbers but they are nothing like we've had other years. We have grown them the last 3 years along with Cobra and Lady Di and they are fast growing bean, long, but very flat and 2-3cm or more across (if we ever leave them long enough). This is one we missed

 

[Meadowlark]

I don't know anyone who has grown beans in the UK to provide dry produce,

What would you speculate to be the reason for that @DiggersJo ? Climate, price of store bought, etc.?

I don't actually "provide dry produce". The reason being taste and cooking time. Rather, for optimum taste I pick shelling beans just before they are considered "dry". I have found the taste when picked in this manner is so much better than store bought. Try it sometime and let me know what you think.

The added benefit of significantly reduced cooking time is not insignificant also. My wife prefers our beans over store bought and as the best veggie we grow. That is quite an endorsement.

 

[DiggersJo]

What would you speculate to be the reason for that @DiggersJo ? Climate, price of store bought, etc.?

I don't actually "provide dry produce". The reason being taste and cooking time. Rather, for optimum taste I pick shelling beans just before they are considered "dry". I have found the taste when picked in this manner is so much better than store bought. Try it sometime and let me know what you think.

The added benefit of significantly reduced cooking time is not insignificant also. My wife prefers our beans over store bought and as the best veggie we grow. That is quite an endorsement.

Climate, perhaps a little tradition. But others will hopefully prove me wrong

 

[Meadowlark]

Climate, perhaps a little tradition. But others will hopefully prove me wrong

According to some research I did you are right on @DiggersJo .

Why dry shelling beans aren’t widely grown​

• Climate: UK weather is poorly suited to many dry bean species.
• Agronomy: High disease pressure, poor drying conditions, yield instability.
• Market mismatch: UK grows faba beans; consumers want other beans.
• Supply chain gaps: Few processors or buyers for UK-grown dry beans.
• Economics: Imports are cheaper and more reliable; domestic production is risky.

 

[Martin Mikulcik]

According to some research I did you are right on @DiggersJo .

Why dry shelling beans aren’t widely grown​

• Climate: UK weather is poorly suited to many dry bean species.
• Agronomy: High disease pressure, poor drying conditions, yield instability.
• Market mismatch: UK grows faba beans; consumers want other beans.
• Supply chain gaps: Few processors or buyers for UK-grown dry beans.
• Economics: Imports are cheaper and more reliable; domestic production is risky.

I believe @Oliver Buckle grows favas.

I could see garbanzos doing well there, as far as i understand they wouldn't do well for me but i haven't tried. Any dry pea growers? Or lentils or peanuts? I do peanuts some, surely no peanut growers in the UK, they need more summer than phaseolus

 

[DiggersJo]

No peanuts except in bags!