Hello! Question about Scarlet Runner Bean

Hi, I'm very new at growing veggies of any kind, this year it's my first try with several, starting from seeds. I have a question about Scarlet Runner Bean. I bought seeds this fall, because the flowers were described as beautiful (the whole plant), and the beans edible. Now I'm looking at the Plant Files entry and read (in the "Danger" section) that "seeds are poisonous": http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/681/ . However, some people comment on eating them in the "Gardener's notes" section.

Please tell me if they are edible or not, or if one must take special caution in eating them?

Thank you!
Alexandra

They are edible, both the pods and the beans. Palatable depends on your taste buds. The dried beans are supposedly more gassy than common beans and give some people discomfort. They like a cool moist climate like England, in Texas you may have problems getting the pods to set. They are a beautiful flowering plant tho.

Thanks, Farmerdill! I was a bit concerned. Yeah, the desert here is challenging for many of my plants... I will mostly do container gardening (tenant, very little gardening space in the backyard), so I'll add moisture crystals for all the veggies, including the beans.

Given the hot southern sun, should I still put them in full sun (I have plenty of it), or should I try part shade?

They don't like temps much above 80 degrees, so whatever you can do to keep them cool.

I grew runner beans last year. They were perfectly edtible although they got very woody when over about 6''. They also froze well, got a little more tender after being frozen.

Thank you so much for your responses, Farmerdill and Beta!

I don't know if they are the same bean, but here in New Mexico we have something called Aztec Scarlet Runner which was supposedly grown by the Aztec indians for hundreds of years. As you can imagine it's generally desert conditions here, and they grow to 15 feet or so. They are edible. All beans are toxic, and all beans will give you trouble if they aren't cooked at a high enough temperature to help destroy the toxins they contain.

As mentioned above, they get pretty tough as they mature so if you plan on using them for "green beans" you should pick them around 4", otherwise let them mature and dry on the stalk before shelling them.

This message was edited Mar 10, 2009 4:36 AM

Thanks, Dorkasaurus for the clarification about the toxins. I think Abq is a bit cooler than here (I've been there in the fall and winter, so I don't know your summers yet), but surely we're neighbors in the desert! I love the green beans more than the beans, so thanks for the advice!

Alexandra

Thanks for asking the question, Alexandra.
I had the same one!

I've started mine on a bench/arbor in the shade of two oak trees on the property.
They'll receive quite a bit of shade, so I'm hoping they will make for me.

Thanks also Beta & Dorkasaurus for the info on picking them before they get too big.

Hey, Cajun, happy to help (by asking, LOL, I'm mostly a beginner in all I do here...)!

Have another question today. So I started my scarlet runner beans, and they sprouted already, a few already have their 2nd set of leaves and they grow so fast! Think Jack and the beanstock! They are in a 12" hanging pot (not hanged yet). Do I need to "pole" them (provide climbing support) so they go up, or can I just hang the container and let them go down?

I guess I would have the same question for "bush beans", I've got a few of these too.

Thanks again,
Alexandra

I can't say how they'll react to hanging since they like to climb but I'm not sure a 12" pot is going to give them enough room for growth/root growth as the stalk on mine was pretty thick and reached maybe 10' in length. They aren't small plants.

Bush beans are just that...bushes...and you shouldn't need to support them.

I've never thought about hanging veggies, but I'm sure it's been done.

This is my first year to use them as an arbor dressing though. Figured 'why not?!'

What my aunt does is mix her veggies in with her flowers. Eggplant is so pretty growing; I didn't even realize what it was so I asked her. I was so surprised!! She also had okra growing in her flower beds--that's when I learned they were in the hibiscus family--so it cotton! I also love the way garlic looks in the garden--the foliage is cool and so are the blooms. My ex-MIL used to put bush beans in amongst her flowers too. She swore it helped with cross-pollenation, though I'm not 100% sure about that.

For several years I didn't have a designated place to put my tomatoes but wanted them REALLY BAD so I put them in with my flowers! They grew great!! The soil was fabulous and they loved it!

This year is probably the FIRST year I've ever had my own designated plot for just veggies. Albeit small (8' x 8') the DH and I are proud of our first garden. He's put as much work into as I have and he's not even around much. Bless him!

This message was edited Mar 26, 2009 10:53 PM

Thanks for your answers. I will have to do in pots at least this year, real gardening space in my garden is about 1.5x8ft... most of it full Texas sun all day long. Not much I can do to increase the space, as I rent...

Alexandra,
dreaming of her own house, with a big garden, and no lawn...

Hi, Goofybulb :) If Scarlet Runner Beans were poisonous, I'd have died years, and years ago :) I'm British (although I now live in North Carolina) - and these were the ONLY beans we grew when I was a child. I tried growing them here. They did well during the early part of the summer, but then all the blossoms kept dropping off - so I read the package (duh!) it clearly said they prefer cooler temperatures. I left them alone, and when fall rolled around they started producing more beans. Hummingbirds and bumble bees love the flowers. I plan to start more seeds later this summer for a fall crop 'cause I really like the flavour - although I could do without the "strings"

Hmm, does this mean I should grow them for the dry beans rather than the pods? Even if picking them when under 4", as Dorkasaurus mentioned?

hmmmm it's been cool enough here, or so i thought... but only one of my six beans has come up ;-(
if they don't come up pretty soon, i think i'll have to wait like you said HoneyBee and wait till Fall.

Cajun, if it helps: I soaked mine for a few days in water plus H2O2. They all expanded about twice the initial size, cracked the skin and started to show the rootlet. Then I planted them in pots outside, and they (all) emerged within 2-5 days. They stayed outside ever since, with some sun, some wind (I have a breeze even on the patio). There is a prediction for a cool day tomorrow, and almost freezing temps for Friday night here, and I think I'll bring them in the garage, at least for the night.

I did the same with the bush beans, but not all swelled during the same amount of time. I planted them anyway, and I noticed that only the expanded ones are up already.

Goofybulb - personally I grow them for the pods. If you pick them when they are small, they are not too stringy. The ones that get too old, I pick after the pods have dried - my hubby cooks them - he LOVES beans of any kind!

I think there's something with the Y chromosome, LOL! Mine too!

I also have questions about how they grow I started mine in starter pots not having any idea that they soon be taking over the bedroom...lol
Ill be puting them out tomorrow after this last cold front moves out. But do they send off side shoots? Get bushy? or just long and stright?
I started 6 seeds they were given to me when I ordered other seeds ...
Thanks
Cheryl


editing to fix my bad typing :)

This message was edited Mar 29, 2009 8:12 AM

They're not bushy, pretty much on main vine reaching for the sky. Think "Jack and the Beanstalk" because that's about how big and fast they grow.

I'm 5'7" and they grow way over my head!

Dorkasaurus, I assume you have the same winds I've got. How do you manage to keep the plants from turning to crisp because of the winds? I moved my container from the patio (breezy - it has screen instead of windows, and it's covered) outside (more wind than on the patio, though still more protected than the rest of the garden), and after half hour the plants started to look pathetic. I brought them back in the patio, but I cannot really hope for no wind at all, to quote a magazine presenting El Paso: "there's always a breeze". Being on/at the foot of Franklin Mtn, it's almost always windy to some extent.

Anybody with ideas on how to do this transition, please, help!
Alexandra

Some resources list Phaseolus coccineus seed as poisonous if a significant amount of raw mature seed is ingested. The seeds contain a toxin that prevents against insect predation.

Immature seedpods, raw or cooked, are used as a vegetable in many areas of the world, and the immature seed is sometimes used like shelled bean.

We tend to err on the side of caution in PlantFiles, and the 'seed is poisonous' notation in the details is to warn people to look further for more information before eating.

Well I started mine outside and let them tough it out. There is no escaping the wind here. If it helps any I do start peppers and tomatoes indoors, and no matter what I do to harden them before transplanting outside they all tend to look a little sad for a week or two but eventually they thrive.

Also, I agree with being cautious but don't let their poisonous nature distract you...they are probably less toxic than kidney beans, for instance. Many beans contain lectins and are safely enjoyed all over the world... just don't make a habit out of eating raw beans and you should be alright.




This message was edited Apr 4, 2009 10:40 PM

Thank you so much for the info!

Dorkasaurus, I will have to cope with this wind then. Even hubby got scared when he saw the stressed beans. I'll try again tomorrow, maybe is less windy than today (I wish!)

Ugh you replied to my pre edited post... anyhow as (edited to) state(d) I'm all for safety and I would hope most people have no desire to eat dry or uncooked beans but you never know...

Goofy if it helps any mine grew along an eastern facing wall so they did receive some protection from wind and blazing afternoon sun but as I mentioned most of my transplants experience some form of shock once they see what life in the high desert is really like. Most veggies I've tried seem to cope...too bad you don't love hot peppers as much as I do, as you're pretty much in pepper heaven climate-wise. Anyway good luck and never eat a dry bean! =)

I love peppers of all kinds! Except for the beans, I have a few peppers - sweet and hot of various degrees, tomatoes, summer squash and a little eggplant, all started from seed. I had more (peppers), but one weekend away was the doom of some seedlings :o(
Anyway, I started some more, since it seems our season is quite long.

Of course, I will encounter the same difficulties with all my veggies... and all plants... the wind at my house blows mostly in east-west direction (from the mountain, and sometimes to the mountain). The east rock fence gives some wind protection, but is in almost full day sun. Might be good for the peppers though. The west fence is shorter, and gets more wind. Life is quite complicated here, garden-wise. Will keep you posted on my progress.

I have never grown pole beans at first I thought I would try the scarlet runners for the beans and flowers but now I am not sure as we don't like dried beans. We like regular green beans (snap beans?) Is there a better variety to get green beans? Is there a pole green bean that the hummingbird also like or should I grow the scarlet runner for the hummingbirds and something else for me?

No idea if you'll see this butterfly but scarlet runners are edible as green beans but you have to pick them when they're small or they get really tough and stringy. If you to see this it's not too late to plant them...I planted mine a little over six weeks ago and one of them is already over six feet tall and starting to blossom. Most beans grow ridiculously fast.

This message was edited Jun 13, 2009 12:33 AM

Wow -- someone else in Texas is trying to grow Scarlett Runner Beans. I live in N. Texas...but it's still HOT...so I'm not expecting too much from the plants. The flowers are sure pretty though. I planted some in the shade -- they're doing better than the ones I planted in full sun.

It's was encouraging to hear that I could just leave them alone and maybe they'll do something in the fall ..??...