I've recently taken up gardening again after a long break and I'm currently growing four types of pole beans—Kentucky Wonder, Spanish Musica, Rattlesnake, and Purple—as well as a bush bean variety called Contender. Despite my efforts to pick them young, I've been finding that almost all of them have strings, except for the Contender. I'm curious if others have experienced this with these varieties, what other types might be less stringy, and whether I'm making any mistakes in the process. I'd love to hear your insights since I'm still finding my way back into gardening!
3 Answers
A good trick is to check for "stringiness" while you're picking—they can often reveal their secrets right in the garden. If you're looking for big pods that are stringless, try romano types; they’re renowned for their size and minimal stringiness after cooking!
Where did you buy your seeds? The beans you're growing sound like heirloom varieties, while newer hybrids are often bred to be stringless. For a great stringless pole bean, look into Seychelles; it’s prolific and delicious! Also, for your bush beans, Jade is an excellent stringless variety. Websites like Pinetree Seeds can help you find more stringless options.
I’ll help you out! I believe Jade and Blue Lake are common hybrids. Just be sure to check the specific descriptions for each variety.
Got it! Now I know what to look for next spring when selecting seeds. Do you know which of those suggestions are hybrids versus heirlooms? I'm interested in seed saving.
Kentucky Wonder beans can be stringless when you pick them young, but they do develop strings as they mature. Rattlesnake beans are known for being stringy, so you're not alone there!
Thanks! It's tricky picking them young because they grow so fast and can be hard to spot.
I'll definitely check those out, thanks!