I planted three varieties of pole beans this year in late May : Fortex, Rattlesnake and (for the first time in 5 years) Blue Lake. All were close together in an area that gets about 5 hours direct sun (on cloudless days).
So far I have gotten 2-3 crops of beans from the first two varieties, but though the Blue Lake plants look as healthy, they have yet to bear a blossom, much less a bean. I don't remember this happening the last time I raised Blue Lake beans.
I checked 8 different suppliers and plant lists for maturity dates, and even though they very widely from one list to another, Blue Lake is almost universally said to be within 5 days of Fortex and Rattlesnake is said to be the same or up to 15 days later.
Has anyone noticed that Blue Lake could be much later maturing than advertised, or could it be that I got a bad batch of seed?
(The Fortex and Blue Lake were bought this year from the same supplier.)
Problem with Blue Lake Pole Beans
I got zero Blue Lake beans this year. I don't remember where I got mine. Where did you get your seeds?
Swallowtail - but all my other seeds from them were fine.
And yesterday, I did notice one flower on the 6 Blue Lake plants.
I had lots of flowers, but very few pods. I probably collected all of about 10 pods from an 8' length of beans.
Beans need at least six hours of full sun and preferably eight. Some varieties will tolerate less but yield will be compromised. I have not grown blue lake in a few years but have grown it from saved and purchased seed and it has been comparable to rattlesnake, Kentucky Wonder, blue Peter, lazy wife, and other pole types. I do think rattlesnake is early and I've not grown fortex.
My longbeans are the only ones that really produced. Im also growing rattlesnake and trail of tears (both of which I've grown before) they flowered late and produced a few beans then nothing. I'm finally seeing a few more blooms hopefully I'll get more beans.
Any thoughts on why your beans were not productive? The problem sounds like too much nitrogen and not enough sun leaving the plants tied up with leaf production to maximize light. Perhaps the Blue Lake beans are more sensitive or there was more fertilzer on that spot.
In addition to eating beans an average of three times a week, I canned thirty two pints and gave about ten pounds to the community food bank. Like I said, I've always had good production with Blue Lake. I grow the pole version.
This message was edited Aug 30, 2015 8:23 AM
I finally got four beans from the Blue Lakes yesterday, a full month after the Fortex and Rattlesnake beans started producing (and those are still going strong).
Yes, there is less light there than is desirable, but I don't have any choice in their location and the Blue Lakes did fine when I tried them several years ago. I fertilized all the beans sparingly. I suspect this is another garden mystery that will never be solved (like my "dwarf" hydrangea that is now 8 feet high !).
Haha. Dwarf indeed! But about the beans...I'm surprised you attempt pole varieties with your short season limitations and assume it's because garden real estate is precious. I do an early fertilizing and liming in March for spring crops and don't fertilize again where beans are planted.
In this area we don't have to worry about not enough sun....if anything it's just too hot.
I just reseeded a raised bed with top setting "Strike" and "Contender" green beans. Also sowed seeds for Texas 8 and Top Pick Cream Peas.
While this bed gets bright light, I believe it only gets about 4-6 hours of full on sunshine each day. I was very satisfied with the production of green beans. This was my first time planting green beans, and will be my first time planting cream peas, too!
Hope I have enough heat left to pull in the cream peas! I'm thinking we'll be burning up through mid-November...
Might be in shorts on Thanksgiving Day, LOL!
I like growing peas. Great fresh or dried. I used to plant late season but now plant earlier to maximize the harvest. If you've got the heat they should do well. They can handle less light and have fewer disease issues than green beans.
Finally! I plucked 18 Blue Lake beans (from 3 plants) yesterday. Even though the crop was almost two months later than expected, it was welcome, since my other two bean varieties (nearby in a similar venue) were starting to slow down. Ah sweet mystery of life....!
How much time do you think you have?