Favorite variety of bush bean?

Do you have a favorite variety of bush bean?  The ones I planted this year, and sorry, I don't have the name, were prolific but tasteless.  In fact, they tasted awful-heavy, starchy pods.  I probably picked them past their prime, but they really were awful.  Into the compost pile they went.

I'm looking for a really tasty bush bean.  Any recommendations?

WE L O V E D the dragon's tongue beans. Didn't realize they didn't climb until later on, which was a bummer, since I planted them to grow over my arch! lol. ANYWAY, they were really good, put out lots of beans, and the best part was no strings! We planted more a few weeks ago and they're just putting out flowers. Will definitely do them again next year. We just did them for the arch and because they looked "cool" on the package for our grandson

I plant Burpee's Goldrush beans. They're yellow, what I grew up calling a wax bean, but they're anything but and very tasty. Harvest them frequently, just on the cusp of getting beans inside, and cook them right away. I usually go from garden to steamer in less than 5 minutes. (Any more time and I nibble.) They're also sweet enough for use raw in salads.

I'll throw in another vote for the  Dragon Tongue beans. Very prolific. Taste great and look awesome.

What does the Dragon tongue look like when cooked? Does it produce over a long period of time like my Blue Lake's?

I vote for Dragon Tongue Beans also.  But are they really a bush bean.  Mine were growing so tall that I trellised them.  The smallest is three feet tall and the tallest is 4 feet tall.  Earlier in the year I did not trellis them and they were falling all over the aisle and each other.  The second planting I trellised them on 5 foot high strings.  The tallest is now 4 feet tall and the shortest is 3 feet tall.

The right hand row are the dragon tongue beans, center row is pink eye purple hull, and left row is Anna pole beans.

I also question whether they are a green bean.  I think a more appropriate description would be a yellow bean. 

Bob, the dragon tongue bean losses its purple mottling when it is cooked.  It becomes the yellow color in the following picture.


 I don't know how long they will produce because this is my first year.  But I did pick some last weekend, this weekend, and there are still plenty of small ones to pick next weekend.  They are also still flowering. 

The only problem I had was poor germination.  Only about 50% of mine germinated.  I had to replant some a week after the initial planting to fill up the row.  But they are very tender and no strings.  I don't have to worry about picking them everyday.  They do fine as a small bean and also good as a more mature bean.

yolos wrote:
..  But they are very tender and no strings.  I don't have to worry about picking them everyday.  They do fine as a small bean and also good as a more mature bean.

 I agree!  Maturity doesn't change the flavor.  Almost threw away the larger 6-7 inch beans but decided to steam them anyway and was pleasantly surprised it kept the same flavor without starchiness, same as the smaller picked ones.  Mine are mild flavored and remind me more of yellow wax beans which I love.  Maybe daily watering washes out strong flavors.

Thanks for the wonderful pictures yolos, they are very helpful. I am not fond of wax beans so I am not sure if these will be for me or not, but I still plan on growing some to try for myself.

Appreciate you both yolos and LM!

bnoles wrote:Thanks for the wonderful pictures yolos, they are very helpful.  I am not fond of wax beans so I am not sure if these will be for me or not, but I still plan on growing some to try for myself.

Appreciate you both yolos and LM!

bob. ours kept on producing. Seemed like we'd pick them one day, and go out the next and there were more? how we missed them I don't know! LOL Ours didn't grow as high as the other members did...our grew about 18". to me, they taste like a "regular" green bean, but they're light yellow colored. Sounds like I might try some of the waxed beans too next year? Does anyone know if they have strings? I HATE the strings. I grew all "stringless" beans this year, and they ALL had strings except the Dragon's tongues

SG, I gather that the Rattlesnake bean is very similar to Dragon's tongue except it is a true pole bean and will grow 10 feet tall.

My favorite bush bean so far is Royal Burgundy followed by Venture.  They handle my questionable spring weather better than others I have tryed so far.  And they produce pretty well.  This year they are very happy growing in the lee of the greenhouse.

My favorites bush beans are Maxibel French Filet beans and Dragon's Tongue. I planted 8 squares of the filet beans and two of us have been eating them for three weeks now. They are still producing, but the plants are looking picked through now.

My favorite way to fix filet beans is to quick cook them for 4 minutes in boiling water in a covered skillet, drain, and then add a little olive oil, salt and lemon pepper, sauteing them just until they are fork tender and just a little toasty looking.

Dragon's Tongue beans I boil for about 6 minutes and then saute with olive oil and garlic. Yum!

pattipan

Turan wrote:SG, I gather that the Rattlesnake bean is very similar to Dragon's tongue except it is a true pole bean and will grow 10 feet tall.

My favorite bush bean so far is Royal Burgundy followed by Venture.  They handle my questionable spring weather better than others I have tryed so far.  And they produce pretty well.  This year they are very happy growing in the lee of the greenhouse.

thank you Turan. I would like some climbing good tasting stringless beans. Am I being too picky? I will put the rattlesnake beans on my list for next year. We have some beautiful arches I would LOVE covered in something! Gonna try sweet peas up a trellis next month