Climbing beans - show us what you've got

[Bega Liz]

The Bega collection of climbing beans is currently -

Phaseolus coccineus - Runner beans or 7 year beans
Bega Giant
Scarlet Runner

Phaseolus vulgaris - Common beans
8 Treasure Shelley
Blue Lake
Borlotti
Cherokee Trail of Tears
Dutch
European Flat
Fortex
Gilbert's Gold
Tongue of Fire

Vigna unguiculata var. sesquipedalis - Snake or yard long beans
Snake – Black
Snake – Green
Snake – Malaysian
Snake – Red
Snake – White

[Arian]

One of our favourite locally grown climbing beans in Canberra is Richard's 1974 Butter Beans which he has grown continuously in a Canberra garden since 1974, following the tradition of his father who had grown them for many years previously in Cooma. The beans are delicious, tender when young and pale yellow with glossy dark brown beans when dried. They are well adapted to the Canberra climate and tolerate hot summers well if they have enough water.

Another multi-year locally grown bean is Bec's Kentucky Wonder Green Bean which is super vigorous and loves growing in Canberra backyards. Bec says that her family of four had to freeze beans for winter in order to cope with the bounty!

Both these varieties are grown on each year by CSSC members

[Ruth Brown]

I have a climbing bean I call Fred's Italian flat bean. It has large white kidney shaped seeds when mature. It is a stringless bean and the beans get to about 25- 35cm long. Very sweet and tender before seeds swell. Very fast growing and prolific fruiter. Seed are very nice when cooked too.
The story behind the bean is I begged a old Italian man I know for over 10 years to get some seeds. His grandmother snuck them to Australia in her undergarments when she flew to Australia to visit the family. They have always grown these beans I was told.
I also grow wonder wax, purple king, scarlet runner and Madagascar beans.
Bush beans I have dragon's tougue, strike, slippery silk, burgandy, hawksberry and a few new ones I am testing out.
Snake beans I have two dwarf ones, one green and one red.

[Arian]

Hey Ruth, love the sound of that Fred's Italian! Wonder if it would work down in Canberra...