Chinese Long Beans

I grew both red and green long beans this year, for the first time. One thing I can say - they are VERY prolific! We have eaten many, and I have canned quite a lot of them. My family and neighbors have been the recipients of many as well. lol The only problem we have had, is that they mature so fast! If we go out to pick in the AM - those beans that are still too small to pick are too big if left till the next morning! Right now, I have a huge amount of beans on the vines (I sort of stopped picking.) that are best for seed saving, rather than eating. lol I will grow fewer next year. ~Diana

TXbabybloomer
could you tell me how what do you do to can your beans. please?

This also was my first year growing Long Beans, and definitely they will be my MUST plant crop every year with Okra, to survive our crazy summers.

Ok, I'm jumping in!

I just ordered seeds at Rareseeds.com for Red-Seeded Asparagus Bean, Chinese Green Noodle Bean and Chinese Red Noodle Bean.

Hope they come quickly (in a few days). As fast as ya'll say they grow, I might have time to sow at least ONE row before the weather cools down. I have at least 60 days of heat ahead, maybe a good 70.

Linda

Kitazawa also has many kinds of "yard long beans": http://www.kitazawaseed.com/seeds_bean.html

Akasanjaku #174
Dark Green #401
Kurojuroku #175
Mosaic #262
Orient Wonder #001
Red Noodle #263
Tsu In #247
White Seeded #232

None of the descriptions said either "hybrid" or "OP", though Kitazawa usually says one or the other. The descriptions mostly sounded "heirloomish" or like traditional varieties, so I would guess most are stable, OP strains.

These beans grow great in pots as well as planted in the ground. I put seeds in a 7 gallon pot, 10 to a pot, stuck in some bamboo poles for them to climb and they are going crazy in there. They're flowering and I've got beans coming now. The bean pods seem to grow about an inch a day. So cute when they're little. :)

Won't be long and we'll be munching. I should take pics, they are really pretty vines.

drthor, I cut up the beans and put them raw (so they would stay crisper) in sterile jars, poured hot water over to cover, put lids on them and put them in a pressure canner for about 10 -14 minutes at 10 lb of pressure.Basically I canned them the same as I always have regular green beans. Sometimes I add a pinch of sea salt. This year I also added small pieces of cooked bacon and a few pieces of raw onion to some of them. We tried a jar to see what that would taste like and found them to taste a little pickled. lol The red ones stayed a dark purple/red color after being canned. They look so pretty in the pantry with the other canned goods.

TXbabybloomer
thanks so much.
I don't have a pressure canner .... yet.
Could I use just a regular water bath?

Lot of people can green beans without a pressure canner but here is the facts Botulism spores can survive temps up 265° which is about 15lbs of pressure Now bear with me just a little bit because I am going off memory here ..The botulism spore are an-arobic meaning they can multiply in an oxygen free enviroment but it has to be very low acid ..So any low acid product needs to be pressured .Please look in the canning and freezing forum,,, over there are lots of knowledgable folks ready and willing to answer all of your canning questions

thanks

FYI, My beans thrived in 112 deg. temps, set fruit and made beans in that heat. They were getting full sun for about 8 hours a day, rest of the time spent in the shade. They were in the sun during the hottest part of the day.

For people looking to find veggies that are prolific in extreme heat, this is a great one. There are so few of them.

I just love those LONG BEANS.
I am harvesting almost every other day now !

I am already planning where I will be planting the Long Beans next year. And although I have the red ones also this year I have found that I prefer the taste of the green ones. So maybe stick to green next year. We will see. I agree that they produce like mad!

Has anyone tried yellow green beans? I remember them as 'waxed' beans. They might be a good choice for ease of harvest because of their visibility.
Nice crop drthor. Are you eating, canning, freezing, gifting or donating?

I am eating beans like mad !
Love it !

Ha! I loved the Yard long beans very much last year so they are back this year. I chooze my favorite of the three I tried which is the Asparagus Bean and have planted those. In fact some are comming up already.

I've sown the regular beans but since the long beans like hot weather I'm waiting to sow those. Since it warmed up I'm trying to get as much done as possible I can't do it all at once.

I sowed Red Seeded Asparagus Beans in place and they have popped up already what with the hot weather we have been having lately. I planted them in the middle of a 7 foot square raised veggie bed where I put up green metal fence posts and trellis netting for them. Then the white seeded Asparagus Beans I had started in one of those veggie seedling packs and those I just transplanted out today.