Saturday, December 6, 2014

Rattlesnake Beans

      This was my first season of success with Rattlesnake Beans.  I think I tried them before from seed, but never got any of the starts to transplant to the garden. The tender young plants seem to have a tough time adjusting to planting out. This year I got one plant to make the jump to the garden, and it grew to be a very productive pole bean, with the mottled pods that give it the Rattlesnake name.
      Shortly before our first killer frost in late October, I picked the last pods and moved them to the enclosed porch to dry.  This morning I shelled the beans to let them dry further, for storage to next year's late spring planting.

Shelling next year's seed, December 6th, 2014

      Aren't those seeds pretty?  A trellis full of Rattlesnake Beans to get enough in the fall to shell for dried beans would be both beautiful and delicious.  Maybe next year.

2 comments:

  1. George, those are beautiful beans. I have not grown beans, other than the yellow or green string beans. We eat a lot of dried beans and it is time that I try to grow them, too. Now I just need to find the space!
    Carla

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Carla, these beans will grow to 8 or 10 ft high on a trellis. Two or three plants on a 4 ft wide by 8 ft tall trellis will provide a LOT of beans. Easy to pick too, standing up.

      Delete