white beans

[RSKY]

Showing my ignorance here.

What kind of seed do I need to grow white beans?

Is it great northern, navy beans, or some other?

Thanks

RSKY

 

[brin]

RSKY - I think you can just go buy a bag or dried beans at your grocery store...the kind you want and plant them...Great Northern are smaller than Navy beans...

 

[jinman]

I think you have it right. Great Northern and Navy beans are two white beans that are favorites of mine. I've also seen Bush Beans (especially the pole type) that produce white beans if you let them mature. Most people just pick them early and snap/cut them as green beans because their hulls are so fleshy. However, if they mature, they produce a large white bean and thin shell. Just consider that Bush bean seeds are white beans.

EDIT: Garbanzo Beans (chickpeas) are also white, but not one of my favorites. Also, butter beans are mostly white, but limas are green.

 

[Barry 1]

Go to the grocery,get a pound of Great Northern for $1.29? and plant them.I tried it this year,and they grew good.

 

[Bird]

This talk of planting seeds from the grocery store reminds me of the time many years ago that my Dad was buying seed at the feed store and asked about planting grocery store beans (Pinto beans in this case) and the feed man, who was selling Pinto bean seeds for more than twice what grocery store beans cost, told him the grocery store beans wouldn't even sprout. So Dad planted two rows of feed store beans, but also two rows of grocery store beans. And for reasons unknown, the grocery store beans far out performed the feed store beans.:laughing:

 

[Jstpssng]

This talk of planting seeds from the grocery store reminds me of the time many years ago that my Dad was buying seed at the feed store and asked about planting grocery store beans (Pinto beans in this case) and the feed man, who was selling Pinto bean seeds for more than twice what grocery store beans cost, told him the grocery store beans wouldn't even sprout. So Dad planted two rows of feed store beans, but also two rows of grocery store beans. And for reasons unknown, the grocery store beans far out performed the feed store beans.:laughing:

Good to know... unfortunately I've had the exact opposite experience. A few years back I bought some pea beans at the local grocery chain... I planted two 40 foot rows but not one plant came up. It wasn't a complete waste though fortunately... I had intentionally bought extra and I do my gardening on weekends; and there was just enough left in the can for my traditional New England Saturday evening meal.

I think you have it right. Great Northern and Navy beans are two white beans that are favorites of mine. I've also seen Bush Beans (especially the pole type) that produce white beans if you let them mature. Most people just pick them early and snap/cut them as green beans because their hulls are so fleshy. However, if they mature, they produce a large white bean and thin shell. Just consider that Bush bean seeds are white beans.

EDIT: Garbanzo Beans (chickpeas) are also white, but not one of my favorites. Also, butter beans are mostly white, but limas are green.

OK, now I see where I went wrong. I planted B&M beans because they were on sale. Does it matter what kind of Bush beans I plant? My first choice would be the molasses and bacon; in case I have any leftovers they taste the best. But if you've had better luck with another than I will try them; just need to make the rows a little longer to use up the can.

 

[jinman]

OK, now I see where I went wrong. I planted B&M beans because they were on sale. Does it matter what kind of Bush beans I plant? My first choice would be the molasses and bacon; in case I have any leftovers they taste the best. But if you've had better luck with another than I will try them; just need to make the rows a little longer to use up the can.

So, did you talk to Duke about the secret family recipe? Bush beans (Blue Lake 274 Bush Beans), and Bush's beans are not the same.:confused3: However, if you plant those Bush's beans, the ants will all be your friends.:laughing:

 

[forgeblast]

Beans | Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co
I have had luck with these
Fava & Broad Beans | Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co the broad Windsor.

 

[RSKY]

Thanks to everybody for your responses. I will try the grocery store approach next year.

RSKY

 

[jinman]

Timing is everything when it comes to planting. The soil temperature and moisture level is critical. You can't do much about soil temps, but you can keep the area moist by watering. Some people start seedlings in a hothouse, but that's too big of a hassle for row crops like beans. I've always smiled at the expression that something isn't worth a hill of beans. Indeed! One hill would not be much. I suppose if your space is limited, you could plant pole beans in hills. The grocery store beans will not have planting instructions on the bag, but you can easily find those online. However, I'm amused that for planting depth, you can find any depth from 3/4" to 2" recommended. I usually shoot for planting large beans at least 1" to 1-1/2" deep. Smaller beans and peas I stick to 1" or less. That's just what works for me. No matter what you plant, germination and sprouting is the most critical for early spring plantings.

 

[brin]

So, did you talk to Duke about the secret family recipe? Bush beans (Blue Lake 274 Bush Beans), and Bush's beans are not the same.:confused3: However, if you plant those Bush's beans, the ants will all be your friends.:laughing:

So now I understand why my sweet potatoes did not sprout...I used a can of Lucks sweet potatoes and not a one of them came up...now I know ...

 

[jinman]

So now I understand why my sweet potatoes did not sprout...I used a can of Lucks sweet potatoes and not a one of them came up...now I know ...

Next year, go into your seed store and ask for a quarter pound of fast sprouting sweet potato seeds.

 

[brin]

Next year, go into your seed store and ask for a quarter pound of fast sprouting sweet potato seeds.

LOL- OK jim...gotcha...

 

[Gunny]

I've planted Great Northern beans from the grocery store two or three times, had pretty good luck with them. I've always soaked them in a little water the day before planting and probably get at least a 75% germination rate. I haven't done it for a few years because I didn't have the room to put out a drying table, and truthfully, they're so cheap at the grocery store, it's just easier to buy several bags at a time and keep them sealed up. Right now I've got two five gallon pails almost full in the pantry. Keep them in mylar bags inside a food grade bucket along with some of those oxygen absorbers, they'll be good for years, either eaten or as seed.

 

[Bird]

I agree, Gunny. I think dried beans of most any kind are too cheap to be worth growing your own.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I agree, Gunny. I think dried beans of most any kind are too cheap to be worth growing your own.

We usually plant a raised bed (24X4) of Purple Hulls every year, after the onions are done. Purple hulls, if you like them, are usually better in my opinion, if they are picked, shelled and either cooked or frozen the same day. You also end up with some snaps which makes them a bit better. That small bed doesn't produce a lot of peas, but enough for New Years plus a couple big messes. As for beans, you're right. At our age, about the only thing we ever plant is the pole beans; about 5 minutes of the back breaking work of picking bush beans and I'm ready to quit and open a can of Bush's...or Bush Lite.

 

[jinman]

I completely agree with you guys. Dried beans are my preference. I do think home grown might have a bit better taste, but growing/picking/shelling is a lot of work. I love home grown bush blue lake beans for green beans only. I do think my blackeyed peas with snaps are worth the homegrown effort.

 

[Bird]

Unfortunately, the canned blackeyed peas in the grocery store, even those with snaps are quite mature peas, some even dried. Now that's better than no blackeyed peas, but I like them picked and shelled while still pretty small/green. And I never planted any purple hull peas, but I've been buying raw shelled purple hull peas at the Denton Farmers Market; $5 per pint from one guy and a bit more than a pint (in a one quart ziplock bag) from another vendor. I bought 4 of the ziplock bags of purple hull peas yesterday morning. No snaps, but peas off all sizes right on down to very small/green ones.

 

[RSKY]

Well I've got one better than all of you guys. I planted a total of thirteen fifty foot rows of purple hull and black eyed peas. Oldest daughter will eat them at every meal if they are available. She wanted to fill half her freezer full. Give her a couple ears of corn on the cob, a bowl of fresh purple hull peas and a pone of cornbread and she is happy.

Anyway, we got three quart bags of peas from all that work. Went to the garden on a Monday to pick green beans, looked at the purple hulls and decided they would be ready Wednesday or Thursday. Went back Thursday and there were NONE in the garden. Nothing but a bunch of deer tracks. The way the vines were squashed down it looked like the herd got half way thru, lay down and took a nap, then finished their feast.

RSKY

 

[Jstpssng]

Well I've got one better than all of you guys. I planted a total of thirteen fifty foot rows of purple hull and black eyed peas. Oldest daughter will eat them at every meal if they are available. She wanted to fill half her freezer full. Give her a couple ears of corn on the cob, a bowl of fresh purple hull peas and a pone of cornbread and she is happy.

Anyway, we got three quart bags of peas from all that work. Went to the garden on a Monday to pick green beans, looked at the purple hulls and decided they would be ready Wednesday or Thursday. Went back Thursday and there were NONE in the garden. Nothing but a bunch of deer tracks. The way the vines were squashed down it looked like the herd got half way thru, lay down and took a nap, then finished their feast.

RSKY

That sounds like my tale of strawberries and turkeys... 300 plants anr I picked a pint of berries. I picked up a solar panel last week... electric fencing next year.

On the bright side...after feeding on your beans those deer will be mighty tasty!