Identifying Bean Seeds

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PikkuFarmHill Southwest, WA(Zone 8a) Oct 31, 2013

Hello!
I work at a plant nursery in Southwest WA State and a customer brought in what she believes are Blue Lake Pole bean seeds but isn't entirely sure. The pods are dried now and the beans within them are dried as well. However, having no information about what they looked like when they were *growing* (other than being green beans that produced for a long season in the Pacific NW), I'm not sure what to tell her. Does anyone have suggestions about how to go about identifying these beans?
I can see about possibly taking a picture and posting it here. But so many different varieties of green pole bean seeds look the same I'm not sure it will help. :-)

Thanks,
Hillary

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Farmerdill Augusta, GA(Zone 8a) Oct 31, 2013

You ar e correct, It is next to impossible to identify beans from thier seed,. There are just too many varieties with similar appearence. Blue Lake pole is a white seeded variety, but it is not alone as a white seeded pole bean.

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PikkuFarmHill Southwest, WA(Zone 8a) Oct 31, 2013

Thank you very much for your affirmation. I thought I was probably correct in my assumption but it's nice to have some back-up. :-) I certainly don't want to lie to the customer, but I also know that she's going to want an answer, gosh darnit.

Thanks for the help!

Post #9699136
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Doug9345 Durhamville, NY(Zone 5b) Oct 31, 2013

Best recommendation I can make is that, since you do have a guess what they are, the customer can plant the seed they have next year along with some Blue Lake Pole beans and see if they grow identical.

If the only reason to identify the beans is to grow more like it, just plant the seed that has been saved. Beans very rarely cross.

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Diana_K Contra Costa County, CA(Zone 9b) Oct 31, 2013

Ditto: The only way is to plant them and see what grows.

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lssfishhunter Jonesville, SC(Zone 7b) Nov 11, 2013

I say that growing them next to true Blue Lake Pole beans will not give you a true indicator if they are the same variety. There are many varieties out there that will look almost identical. I would not trust this method.

You live in a very beautiful part of the country. My wife and I vacationed in western WA in 2012 and really enjoyed it. We are vacationing in western OR next year but will cross the state line to hit up the other part of St. Helen's that we didn't get to see on our last trip. The 2012 vacation will go down in the top 3 vacations ever in our lives. It may even be ranked number 1 before it's all said and done.

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eweed Everson, WA(Zone 8a) Nov 29, 2013

Blue Lake pole been seed is cheap eat what you have buy new bean seed next spring then save that if you want.

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