What are the pros? Productive, Long-Season
What are the cons? Dry Beans Require Patience
I've been growing this variety every year since 2012. I've grown these in northern California (zone 9B) and central Minnesota (zone 4B) and they grow wonderfully in both climates. In Minnesota, I plant them indoors in April and put them outside in mid-May. Vines grow very quickly with flowers appearing by June. Green beans are ready by the end of June or beginning of July and stay productive as long as you pick them every few days at a minimum. Beans get stringy fast, so I recommend picking before "bean lumps" appear (developing seeds). By August, I start leaving patches unpicked for dry beans to develop (mostly for seed saving). By September, I stop picking green beans and leave them all to ripen. Each year, I save the earliest seeds for replanting and the later ones for cooking. Beans dry easily indoors after shelling.
Hands down, one of my largest and most anticipated crops each year.
Would you recommend this product to a friend?
Yes