Kidney beans

any one ever do them? I am 5b, last from mid May, but we usually don't plant until end of may.

anyway, i know these need lots of time. Should I start them inside? If so when? I got them from a feed store, so i have no idea if they are bush or pole, any ideas?

any one?

Guess not, Chocolate! Doesn't seem to be anyone's favorite. Grow them and see what happens then you can be the expert for the next person who asks. Maybe they will grow so big you can climb them and say hi to the giant.

I'd love to hear about the results.

Claire

I am growing black beans this year. They are just popping up from seed now. It is my first time, but I expect if you can get them in this month as plants there would be no reason you couldn't harvest by Aug/Sept. What the heck - try one and see.

I'm going on my first try at kidney beans. It took about 2 weeks for them to pop up. I planted them at the full moon. They seem to be happily poking their first petals out of the ground as of yesterday and from what I understand I'm going to need a trellis for them. I'll keep you updated on my progress.

Thanks everyone. I started mine in peat pots indoors (short MI season) on Friday, so we shall see!!!

Kidney beans are usually bush beans - never heard of a pole type. They are grown like any other bush bean, (I plant 9 to a square) and can be shelled fresh for cooking immediately, or the pods may be allowed to dry on the plant for dried beans.

Just remember to cook them thoroughly before eating. Raw or undercooked kidney beans contain lectin, a toxin. See this link for more information:
http://www.foodreference.com/html/artredkidneybeanpoisoning.html

I was wondering how everyone's kidney beans were doing? I am thinking of doing a fall crop and was hoping you all had some luck and info to share.

We planted a SFG bed of several varieties of beans a few weeks ago. Instead of Mel's Mix this bed has a mixture of rice hulls, compost, and the existing soil, more like the beds in Mel's original book.

I planted two squares of Dragon's Tongue, but we only have three or four plants that came up, -something may have gotten the others. I planted two squares of limas, but none appeared, even though four limas came right up in the bed next to this one. Of those four plants, two are growing well while two never threw off their seed casing, and eventually died. (Does anyone know what causes that? It turns brown and sort of glues to the emerging plant.)

I planted twelve squares of Improved Horticulture, and six squares are full and growing while six have yet to have any beans make an appearance. I planted eight squares of Blue Lake bush beans, and again, four squares are full and growing while four have yet to come up. The bed is on a slight slope, and apparently the rains we received right after planting washed soil deeper over parts of the bed. That's the only explanation I can come up with why some squares are up and growing while others are bare.

The ones that came up are doing very well, putting out their second set of true leaves. The bed looks like a checkerboard of beans and bare soil. Looks like it's time to replant the bare squares. If we have a late fall they should still do okay.