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Best runner bean varieties


Five of the Best Runner Beans to Grow

Runner beans (Phaseolus coccineus) are one of the easiest crops to grow, bearing masses of long, sweet-tasting beans all summer long. While they can reach 2-3m tall, they don't take up much ground space - grow them on the veg plot or scrambling up a wigwam in a border. You can even grow them a large container.

Find out all you need to know about growing runner beans in our runner bean Grow Guide.

The pretty red, white or bi-coloured flowers are edible and have a beany flavour - use them as a garnish or to decorate salads.

There's a wide range of runner bean to choose from - here are five of the best.

1

'Scarlet Emperor'

Runner bean 'Scarlet Emperor' is an old favourite - a heritage variety that has been grown in Britain for centuries. It has bright red flowers and produces heavy crops of long, smooth, dark-green pods with an great flavour.

Handful of 'Scarlet Emperor' runner beans

2

'Painted Lady'

Runner bean 'Painted Lady' is a Victorian variety that is grown as much for its pretty bicoloured red and white flowers as for its large crops of tender, medium length, well-flavoured beans.

Red and white flowers of runner bean 'Painted Lady'

3

'Red Rum'

Runner bean 'Red Rum' is a self-fertile, which means that it doesn't need cross pollination from other bean plants nearby. So even if you grew one plant, you would enjoy a tasty crop. 'Red Rum' starts cropping early in summer and carries on producing heavy crops of medium-length beans throughout the season. Its ability to set beans even in poor weather means it outcrops many other varieties.

Picked 'Red Rum' runner beans, lying on hessian

4

'White Lady'

Runner bean 'White Lady' bears pretty, pure white flowers and long, mid-green, stringless, tender pods with white seeds. It's a reliable and heavy cropper, and is more tolerant of dry, hot conditions than some other varieties.

A wooden trug full of 'White Lady' runner beans

5

'Polestar'

British bred, 'Polestar' is a is a reliable runner bean that bears heavy crops of stringless and smooth, fleshy pods. They have a good flavour. It's early to flower and the flowers set easily; it crops over a long season.

'Polestar' runner beans, placed on hessian

Try growing sweet peas alongside your runner beans - not only does the combination look pretty, it will help to attract beneficial pollinators, too.

Harvesting runner beans into a saucepan

Recommended varieties of Runner Beans in the UK

Most runner beans are self-pollinating but require bees or other insects to set their bean pods. For some reason, warmer than normal night time temperatures result in a poor crop of beans although the production of flowers is not affected. This may be one reason why some gardeners spray their plants in the evening of warm nights - it will have a generally cooling effect.

I am no bee expert but for those of you who are interested in different bees in the UK I found found this page extremly informative webpage about different types of bees in the UK.

For expert advice on preparing the ground and sowing runner bean seeds, click here. For ongoing care advice throughout the season, click here, and for advice on pests and diseases, click here.

In general runner beans produce beans which if planted the next year will be slightly different from the  parent plant. Major differences are unlikely but these small differences add up over 10 or more generations. Each seed company therefore will sell beans which produce slightly different plants. One seed company stands out head and shoulders as far as breeding runner beans is concerned is Tozer Seeds. They are specialists at developing new varieties and improving existing ones of this tasty vegetable.

VARIETIES OF CLIMBING RUNNER BEANS WE RECOMMEND

LADY DI

A personal favourite of ours which we have grown for many years. If you just can't stand even a small amount of "stringiness" to your runner beans then this is the one for you. Even if you let them reach past maturity they still remain stringless. In these circumstances the whole pod will eventually get a fibrous quality to it but definitely no string!


As with all runner beans, Lady Di is no exception, harvest it early and it is delicious, leave it too long on the plant and it will deteriorate. But with Lady Di, if you use it in casseroles or soups its stringless qualities make it tasty at any stage of its development.

This variety produces edible pods slightly earlier in the year than some others we have tried and the red flowers are very attractive. Awarded an RHS AGM in 2006.

ACHIEVEMENT-MERIT

An improved version of the old runner bean favourite Achievement. Awarded an AGM in 2006 this variety is stringless if picked when young. Attractive red flowers which produce a slightly later than normal crop of tasty beans. Good for exhibiting in the "longest runner bean" competitions.

 


Runner Bean Achievement Merit

Not one of the commonest varieties, Achievement Merit can be bought at Thompson Morgan here.

ENORMA-ELITE

A firm favourite of many gardeners for years. Produces a reliable crop of largish beans with red flowers. The beans are stringless and they set well in most weather conditions. This particular variety shows significant differences between the various seed merchants so bargain priced seeds may be the result of a poor breeding program and not produce the best that this variety is capable of.

FIRESTORM

The same as Snowstorm below but with orange-red flowers - see here.

POLESTAR RUNNER BEANS

A favourite variety for many years this is stringless and produces lots of red flowers. The pods are fleshy, straight and very tasty. A reliable cropper which produces beans a week or two earlier than average, expect to be harvesting 13 to 14 weeks after sowing. It continues to produce runner beans up till the first frosts.

This variety is easy to find in garden centres and from online seed merchants, it's also sometimes found at discount prices from the large supermarkets and discount store.

RED RUM

Red Rum was awarded an AGM by the RHS in 2006 and this means that it has a lot going for it. Some silly claims have been made by one of the seed companies that it produces a crop within 40 days, take it from us, it does not. But it does produce larger crops earlier in the season compared to most other varieties because it sets bean pods very reliably from its attractive red flowers.

Runner Bean plants often fail to set pods from their flowers because the night time temperature is to high, they are rather picky plants in this respect. However Red Rum is well known to set pods more reliably than most.


Runner Bean Red Rum

The pods grow straight and are stringless although we still recommend harvesting your crop when the pods reach about 18cm / 7in long for the best taste. To sum up, Red Rum is a tasty stringless variety which is one of the most reliable croppers in the UK climate. Has some (but not huge) resistance to Halo Blight. As far as we know this variety has some genetic elements of French Beans incorporated into it.

SAINT GEORGE

A new variety from Tozer Seeds which is really an improved version of the variety Painted Lady. The flowers are red and white making it the most attractive of all the runner beans. It's a strong grower producing crisp, stringless pods. Awarded an RHS AGM in 2006 it's now one of our firm favourites.

SCARLET EMPEROR

One of the oldest varieties of runner beans which is still commonly sold. This variety produces decent beans however they are by no means stringless so need to be picked when young. More modern varieties have better disease resistance and grow better beans but if you want a slice of history then this bean will not disappoint.

SNOWDRIFT

Another variety which has been bred to include French Beans in its genetic makeup. Snowdrift was introduced in 2016 by Mr Fothergill's to enable this variety to self-pollinate without the intervention of bees.


Snowdrift Runner Beans

The flowers, as the name suggests are white and the beans are straight, tasty and stringless. A relatively new variety well worth trying.

SNOWSTORM

Another variety from Tozer Seeds which has been bred using some of the genes from French bean varieties. The result is that Snowstorm sets beans much more easily compared to most other varieties and is not so dependent on the activity of bees and other insects. This is not only a valuable characteristic if the bee population in your area is low but it also helps in windy situations where insects are not able to adequately pollinate plants.

The name Snowstorm was given because of the pure white flowers which are very attractive against the dark green foliage. The pods are ideal when picked at about 30cm, making tasty and straight runner beans.

 

WHITE LADY

A classic runner bean variety which is grown in many parts of the world purely for its display of white flowers. The beans themselves are produced mid-season and are one of the tastiest of all. Pick them young and they are completely stringless with a juicy non-fibrous texture. A reliable cropper and awarded an RHS AGM.

WISLEY MAGIC RUNNER BEANS

Some of the seed merchants appear to be selling this variety as a new one in 2014 / 15 but in fact it was available from as far back as 1999 when the RHS awarded it an Award of Garden Merit (reconfirmed in 2013). This is a strong growing variety which is well mentioned frequently in gardening forums, always a good sign. You can expect to be harvesting Wisley Magic during late July to late October in most parts of the UK.

The prolific and attractive, deep red flowers appear in early July and produce runner bean pods which are full-flavoured. Pick them before they get too long and they are stringless. The pods are mid-green, straight-growing and of regular shape. The plants grow well in almost all conditions and freeze perfectly. They produce a large crop even in over-warm conditions.

VARIETIES OF DWARF RUNNER BEANS WE RECOMMEND

HESTIA

A new variety of dwarf runner bean which is proving a great success. The red and white flowers alone are enough reason to give this plant space in your garden. At the same time however it will produce a good crop of stringless and tasty runner beans. This is not a "novelty" variety, it really does the job.

This makes an ideal container plant, it just needs to be watered regularly in summer. When it grows several stems often appear and that's quite normal. We have found that a few canes about a foot long greatly help to support this variety even though it is a dwarf runner bean. If birds have been a problem in previous years with your runner beans then Hestia can easily be netted to keep them off.

PICKWICK

A traditional dwarf runner bean variety which stood the test of time and proved its worth. Masses of orange flowers appear in late spring followed by an excellent crop of stringless beans.

 


Pickwick Dwarf Runner Bean

The plants grow to a full height of about 60cm / 2ft and spread 1m / 3ft. Although dwarf they are not -self-supporting but three 60cm canes per plant will be enough to support them . Can easily be grown in containers.

NEXT PAGE - PESTS AND DISEASES OF RUNNER BEANS

COMMENTS / QUESTIONS LEFT BY OUR READERS

Sometimes our readers ask specific questions which are not covered in the main article above. Our
Runner Bean comment / question and answer page
lists their comments, questions and answers. At the end of that page there is also a form for you to submit any new question or comment you have.
 

The best varieties of asparagus beans and for grain

Author Maria Chursina To read 11 min. Views 6.6k. Posted by

Types of beans differ in shape, size and color of the bean. Depending on the method of consumption, beans are divided into asparagus and grain (shelling). With regards to grain beans, only dried seeds after heat treatment should be eaten. Together with green beans, immature beans and seeds are eaten, as they are devoid of coarse fibers and layers of parchment.

To make it easier for our customers to choose seeds, we have compiled a list of the most purchased varieties of corn and asparagus beans in 2020-2021.

Contents

  1. Top Asparagus Beans
  2. Serengeti (Syngenta)
  3. Croquette (Clause)
  4. Jaguar (Hazera)
  5. Paloma (Nunhems)
  6. Paloma (Nunhems)
  7. (Clause)
  8. Bergold (Hortus)
  9. Fruidor (Clause)
  10. Scuba (Hortus)
  11. Festival (Rijk Zwaan)
  12. Burmen (LibraSeeds/Erste Zaden)
  13. The best varieties of vegetable beans for grain
  14. Fine Yas (Yasrava)
  15. Eureka (Yasrava)
  16. Lastochka (Ukraine)
  17. Petronila Little Red Riding Hood (Ukraine)
  18. Kalinka (Seedera)
  19. Stregonta (Hortus)
  20. Ryabushka (Yaskrava)
  21. Quail (Yaskrava)
  22. Ruby Star (Yaskrava)

tee (Syngenta) Serengeti asparagus photo

Early maturing variety of asparagus with white seeds and excellent taste.

Upright shrub with high yield potential. Resistant to legume common mosaic virus, anthracnose and rust.

Bean pods up to 15 cm in size, moderate dark green in color with medium round beans.

Serengeti Asparagus Beans form fleshy, juicy pods with a high sugar content. Well adapted to mechanized harvesting.

Review about Serengeti beans from Leonid A.:

Very easy to grow and very productive hybrid. I grow in two turns - when sowing in early May and in July after harvesting onions and garlic. The bushes are not tall, about 30 cm.

Croquet (Clause)

Green beans Croquet

Varietal green beans for fresh consumption, canning and freezing. Vegetation period - 58 days after seed germination.

An upright plant with high yield potential. Differs in a wide range of resistance to such BCMV diseases: 1US, BCTV, Psp, Pss, Ua, Xap.

Pods are straight and uniform, deep dark green very uniform in color, 14-15 cm in size. Beans are beautiful, rounded.

Croquette beans are suitable for all-season cultivation in open and closed ground.

Mechanized harvesting of asparagus beans Croket

Jaguar (Hazera)

Photo of asparagus bean variety Jaguar

Early asparagus beans for sowing in open and protected ground. Ripening period - 55-60 days.

An upright bushy plant with high plasticity during cultivation. Perfectly adapts to growing in a period of high temperature conditions.

The bush forms pods about 15 cm long, deep dark green. The harvest is intended for the sale of fresh vegetables on the market, preservation and freezing.

Jaguar is a high yielding variety with uniform and compact maturation. Variety resistant to bean mosaic virus.

Paloma (Nunhems)

Paloma Beans

Mid-early variety of bush beans that can be harvested 60-70 days after sowing. It is used for the fresh market, freezing, processing and cultivation for dry grain.

Bushy plant, up to 50 cm high. It has field resistance to anthracnose, virus 1 and angular bacterial bean blotch.

Dark green pods, average length 11-12 cm. Very uniform pods.

Paloma is designed for ultra-early and late sowing. Suitable for mechanized harvesting.

Clause

Green Bean Pike

Mid-season green bean variety for fresh market and processing. The growing season lasts 55 days from seed germination.

Balanced, upright plant with an upright habit. Tolerant to a wide range of diseases: BCMV, BCTV, Psp, Pss, Xap.

Pods aligned, uniform, moderate dark green, 10-12 cm long. Young beans are juicy with a pleasant taste.

Pike's advantage is that it forms a high yield of uniform large pods.

Bergold (Hortus)

Yellow asparagus bean Bergold

High-yielding variety of asparagus beans of late ripening. From germination to full biological ripeness passes - 80-90 days.

Bush-type plant, compact, with an average height of 40 cm. Intended for sowing in open ground in April-May at a soil temperature of at least +10. ..15°C.

Bean oval, slightly bent, golden yellow, 12-14 cm long, without parchment inside.

Bergold bean crop is used for home cooking, processing and freezing.

Review of Bergold beans from Svetlana K.:

Excellent beans in terms of price / quality ratio, I was very satisfied. I recommend!

Fruidor (Clause)

Photo of asparagus variety Fruidor

Mid-season universal variety that is ready for harvest 56 days after sowing the seeds. Beans of universal destination for the fresh market and processing.

An upright plant with high yield potential. Has genetic tolerance to legume mosaic virus and Alternariosis.

The pods are uniform, attractive yellow in color, 16-17 cm long. They are distinguished by high palatability and good keeping quality.

Fruidor green beans, due to their beautiful presentation, are always sold on the market in a short time and at a high price.

Harvesting and tasting Fruidor and Croquet green beans

Scuba (Hortus)

Scuba green beans

A high-yielding variety of mid-ripening green beans. The growing season lasts 80 days from sowing to full maturity.

Upright bushes, 40-45 cm high. They are distinguished by good stress resistance to negative weather factors.

Beans, straight, dark green, 12-15 cm long, without parchment partition. Suitable for canning, cooking and freezing.

Scuba varietal beans are sown in open ground in May, when the soil temperature reaches +10...15°С. Harvesting falls on August-September. Tatyana Ya. Good in taste.

Festival (Rijk Zwaan)

Harvest string beans Festival

Early variety of string beans for outdoor and indoor sowing in spring, summer and autumn. The growing season is 55 days.

Climbing plant, well leafy, evenly covered with long pods. Requires a garter for a trellis or stakes. Resistant to ascochyta.

Pods are straight, aligned, green in color, without fibers, average size 22–24 cm.

Review of asparagus beans Festival from Ivan K.:

I put 5 stars for the savory taste of asparagus kvass without any additional sum. We didn’t eat better. Even savory is that bottom.

Burmen (LibraSeeds/Erste Zaden)

Photo of asparagus variety Burmen

Early variety of asparagus for long-term storage and transportation. Differs in unpretentiousness to conditions of growth.

Productive plant resistant to common legume diseases.

Green string beans, 14–16 cm long. The pods remain firm and juicy for a long time, and are distinguished by excellent taste.

The Burmen asparagus variety is suitable for outdoor and indoor cultivation. Beans have a pleasant delicate taste with different cooking methods - boiling, stewing and baking.

The best varieties of vegetable beans for grain

Fainy Yas (Yasrava)

Photo of vegetable beans Fainy Yas

Mid-season variety of vegetable beans for home cooking, processing and storage in dried form. The growing season is 85-100 days.

Bush type plant, compact, up to 50 cm high, easy to assemble and does not require a tie. Has good drought tolerance.

Green pods, up to 10 cm long. Each pod contains 4-6 white beans.

Variety Fine Yas is distinguished by good yield and drought resistance. Designed for landing in the ground from the second half of May.

Fainy Yas beans

Eureka (Yasrava)

Eureka beans

Mid-season variety of grain beans for open ground. Technical maturity occurs in 48-55 days, and full maturation of seeds - 85-100 days.

Compact shrub, 35-40 cm high. The plant is self-pollinating, so it does not need an additional pollinator crop.

Green pods, up to 15 cm long, with large white oval seeds. On each bush, 10-12 pods are formed.

Eureka is resistant to lodging and is immune to most fungal and bacterial diseases. Unripe shoulder blades and dry seeds are used for food.

Lastochka (Ukraine)

Photo of beans Lastochka

An early ripe variety of vegetable bean that does not require a garter to obtain grain.

Bush-type plant, powerful, up to 50 cm high. Shows good resistance to drought and major diseases.

Cream colored pods with reddish spots, up to 15 cm long. Each pod contains 7-8 oval spotted beans.

The Swallow bean variety stands out for its excellent harvest, quick preparation and delicate taste.

Ready bean grain Swallow

Petronila (Semo)

Photo of the bean variety Petronila

Mid-early vegetable bean variety that ripens 60-70 days after seed germination. It has a high yield of quality beans.

Bush type plant, 50-60 cm high. Resistant to lodging and common legume diseases.

Yellow pods, 8-10 cm long. Bomb-shaped grains, medium size, oval, white in color with excellent taste.

The Petronila variety is intended for growing on dry grain, which is suitable for home cooking, as well as winter storage.

Red cap (Ukraine)

Bean Red cap

Grain bean variety of medium ripening period, which gives stable yields throughout Ukraine.

Compact shrub, about 35 cm high, with beautiful leaves. The plant is not prone to lodging.

Light yellow pods, up to 10-12 cm long. Each pod contains 8-12 white and red colored pods. The parchment layer in the shells of the pod is weakly expressed, so you can collect the blades like asparagus beans.

Red Riding Hood bean is a robust and productive variety with good grain flavor and disease resistance.

Harvesting beans Red Riding Hood

Kalinka (Seedera)

Red beans Kalinka

Early maturing vegetable beans with high yield potential. The period from germination to technical ripeness lasts 55 days, and to the dry state of seeds - 90 days.

The plant is bushy, compact, medium branched, up to 40 cm high. The bush is heat-loving, resistant to diseases, unpretentious in care and does not require support.

Pods are green, reach a length of 12 cm. Each pod produces up to 12 medium-sized red beans. Seeds have high taste indicators.

Kalinka vegetable beans are suitable for mechanized harvesting, used in the canning industry, as well as for preparing home-cooked meals.

Hortus

Photo of Stregonta spotted bean

A mid-ripening vegetable bean that is ready for harvest 80 days after germination.

Medium-sized climbing plant, 80-100 cm high. Resistant to viral and fungal diseases.

Pods mottled pink, curved, oval in section, 18-20 cm long, containing 8 seeds. The beans are large, kidney-shaped, pale pink in color with dark veins and purple spots.

Stregonta variety is characterized by high yield, one plant can produce 1 kg of product. Designed for fresh consumption and processing.

Ryabushka (Yaskrava)

Harvest beans Ryabushka

Mid-season bean variety for open ground with a vegetation period of 100-120 days from sowing to harvesting dry grain.

climbing plant, up to 3 m high, needs supports. The bush is unpretentious, it can perfectly decorate a gazebo or grow along a fence.

Yellow-green fleshy pods, 11-13 cm long, suitable for use unripe like asparagus. Each contains 10 kidney-shaped beans, burgundy on a cream background.

Ryabushka bean is intended for home growing and cooking of borscht, soups, stews, fillings for pies or side dishes. The variety is suitable for mechanized harvesting.

Quail (Yaskrava)

Photo of bush beans Quail

Late-ripening shelling bean variety for open ground with friendly grain ripening. The growing season is 100-120 days.

Bush-type plant, 30-40 cm high. Shows high resistance to lodging, fungal diseases and rot.

Yellow-green pods, 12-15 cm long, containing 10-12 oval-shaped, cream-coloured, dark-spotted seeds. Beans up to 2 cm in size and weighing up to 1.5-2.0 g. There are no partitions in the beans.

Bush bean Quail is a productive variety for home cultivation. Suitable for winter consumption in the form of canned food or dry storage.

Rubinovaya Zvezda (Yaskrava)

Bright Bean Rubinovaya Zvezda

Medium ripening bush bean variety for open ground. The growing season lasts 90-100 days from planting to harvest.

Strong bushes, 40 cm high. Resistant to lodging, as well as fungal diseases and rot. Not damaged by grain.

Yellow pods 12-15 cm long with 8-12 red grains each. The height of the lower attachment is 12-14 cm.

Ruby Star is a productive and undemanding bean variety for home cultivation. Suitable for manual and mechanized collection, as it is resistant to shedding.

There are a lot of good and productive varieties of vegetable and asparagus beans. All of them differ in color and shape of beans, grains, according to the type of plants and requirements for growing conditions. In general, growing beans is quite easy and simple, and if you give it proper care, it will give a high and high-quality crop.

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Top 10 varieties of beans

Beans originate from Central and South America and South Asia (India, China, Japan), where they have been cultivated for several millennia. How to choose the best varieties of green and grain beans will be discussed in our review.

Most varieties of beans grown in Russia and in the world belong to the species Phaseolus vulgaris (common beans). In addition to the common bean, several other types of beans have been cultivated (lima beans, multi-flowered or fiery red beans, etc.), but they are much less common.

Bean is a self-pollinating plant with long flowering. The response to the length of daylight hours is weak or absent. In the conditions of the middle lane, all varieties of beans grow and ripen well. Beans are more thermophilic, unlike peas, so they are sown after the threat of frost, along with cucumber. She is also very light-loving.

Varieties of beans differ in shape, size and color of the bean; in size. seed shape and color. According to consumer qualities, bean varieties are divided into vegetable (green beans, asparagus) and grain (shelling). grain beans only seeds that have ripened to a dry state have consumer value. In green beans , immature beans and seeds are consumed in milky ripeness or after full ripeness. The wings of such varieties are devoid of coarse fibers and a parchment layer, juicy and fleshy. In fact, vegetable beans have a universal purpose, since they give both "shoulders" and seeds. Only the size of beans is significantly inferior to grain varieties. A separate group includes semi-sugar varieties of vegetable beans with a late development of the parchment layer and with coarse fibers only along the seams. Their beans are consumed before coarsening, for this the collection is carried out every 2 to 3 days. Attention! Raw beans in milky ripeness contain toxic substances - lectins. They are destroyed only after heat treatment.

According to the characteristics of growth, both green beans and grain beans are divided into curly, semi-curly and bush beans. Lianoid varieties require support, are decorative and have a high yield per unit area. Bush - compact and easy to care for. Ornamental beans are also grown - multi-flowered. Its seeds are edible, but ripen for a long time and the yield is very low.

Description, photos of the best varieties of beans, reviews of popular varieties are presented in our rating.

Rating of the best varieties of beans

Category Location Description Rank
Green beans, or asparagus: the best sugar varieties 1 Bluehilde (Germany) 9. 9 / 10
2 Supernano Yellow (Russia) 9.9 / 10
3 Matilda (Russia) 9.9 / 10
4 Saks without fiber 615 (Russia) 9. 8 / 10
5 Sugar shovel (Russia) 9.8 / 10
Green beans, or asparagus: the best semi-sugar varieties 1 Gribovskaya 92 (Russia) 9.8 / 10
2 Dream hostess (Russia) 9. 7 / 10
Grain beans, or shelling: the best varieties 1 Lastochka (Russia) 9.8 / 10
2 Rubin (Russia) 9.8 / 10
3 Little Red Riding Hood (Russia) 9. 8 / 10

Green beans or asparagus: the best sugar varieties

Bluehilde (Germany)

Opens our rating of the best varieties of Bluechild green beans - a mid-season high-yielding climbing variety for an amateur garden. Gives shoots up to 3 meters long. Technical ripeness occurs 70 days after germination. If you do not pluck the first set beans, they will soon be harvested for seeds. This will ensure that germinating seeds are obtained, even in cold and rainy summers. Beans up to 25 cm long, 1-1.5 cm wide, slightly curved, dark purple, flat at the beginning of ripening, after filling the grains are rounded, without a parchment layer and coarse fibers. The seeds are beige, medium in size, tender and sweetish when boiled.

Bluechild variety beans are grown for shoulder beans and grains. The collection period is extended, as the shoulder blades grow, with an interval of 3-4 days. After harvesting the blades, the beans are left to ripen in order to peel the grain. Cultivated in all regions of Russia. In the Moscow region, some summer residents sow seeds first for seedlings in individual cups, so that they can then be transferred to open ground. This measure is sometimes forced - if the germinated seeds cannot be planted in the ground due to bad weather.

Main advantages:

  • high productivity
  • unpretentiousness
  • universality
  • decorative effect

Cons:

  • shade intolerant
  • needs high support

9. 9 / 10

Rating

Reviews

Very good variety of green beans. The beans are very beautiful and tasty, they turn green when cooked. I freeze a lot of blades and still remain for grain. The bushes do not get sick, it ripens well - I leave it for seeds.

Supernano Yellow (Russia)

Early ripe string beans. Consumer ripeness occurs at 55 - 65 days. The plant forms a compact shrub 30 - 45 cm high, with large purple flowers. The beans are straight, 10 - 15 cm long, 1 - 1.2 cm wide, flat, with a long "nose", when fully ripe, the green color turns into yellow, without a parchment layer and coarse fibers along the seam. Seeds are large, black, shiny, with a smooth surface, chocolate-colored in milky ripeness. Unripe shoulder blades, seeds in milky ripeness and ripened grain are used. The variety is grown everywhere, according to generally accepted agricultural practices, often by sowing swollen seeds directly into the ground.

Main advantages:

  • high yield
  • excellent adaptive qualities
  • resistance to diseases: bacteriosis, anthracnose, bean mosaic virus
  • does not overripe for a long time
  • grows without supports

Cons:

  • low heat resistance

9. 9 / 10

Rating

Reviews

I pluck the shoulder blades before the seeds are released. The more often you cut off, the more it gives new beans - a very productive bean variety. In any dish, green beans are tasty and sweet, good in pickled form and for freezing.

Matilda (Russia)

Mid-early asparagus curly bean variety. The pods grow 55-60 days after germination. A plant of unlimited growth, with a medium leafy shoot up to 3 meters long and small purple flowers. The beans are straight, 18–20 cm long, up to 1.5 cm wide, light purple in the unripe state and beige in biological ripeness, flat, blunt, with a “nose” of medium length, without a parchment layer and coarse fiber. Seeds are gray with brown strokes, reniform. In freezing, both blades and seeds in milky ripeness are used. In the Moscow region and in the North-West region, it is recommended to grow under temporary shelter to ensure seed maturation in the cold and rainy season. The appearance of the beans and the taste are similar to Bluechild.

Main advantages:

  • long and abundant fruiting
  • attractive appearance of beans
  • decorative bushes

Cons:

  • high support required

9. 9 / 10

Rating

Reviews

Vigorous curly beans with large and numerous beans of sweet taste. I use everything on the shoulder blades, I leave only a few beans for seeds (I mark them with a ribbon at the beginning of fruiting).

Saks without fiber 615 (Russia)

Continues our rating of the best varieties of green beans, the old early-ripening bush variety of asparagus beans, included in the state register in 1943. The blades are eaten 50-60 days after full germination. The height of the bush is 35 - 40 cm. The beans are 10 - 12 cm long, narrow, slightly curved, rounded, light green, devoid of a parchment layer and coarse fiber. The grain is greenish-yellow, round-elongated, of medium size. The blades are recommended to be plucked every 2-3 days, preventing overripe. Zoned in all regions of Russia. Grown by direct sowing in the ground. Differs in high vitality and stability.

Main advantages:

  • undemanding
  • good acclimatization
  • anthracnose resistance
  • easy to care for compact bushes

Cons:

  • coarse fibers appear when overripe
  • when planted densely affected by bacteriosis

9. 8 / 10

Rating

Reviews

Productivity is not the highest, but it produces fruit even in rainy summers near St. Petersburg. This variety of green beans is proven and reliable. If you want tender pods, you need to harvest the beans often.

Sugar shovel (Russia)

Mid-early asparagus bean variety of bush type. The beans are harvested 60-65 days after germination. Forms bushes 30 - 40 cm high. Beans 14 - 16 cm long, slightly curved, flat, up to 2 cm wide, green in color, with juicy thick valves, devoid of parchment layer and fibers. Seeds are white and large. Gives a lot of blades and grain. Beans Sugar shovel ripens well even in the Central and North-Western regions. Fruiting is extended and plentiful. If you regularly pick unripe beans, the yield increases significantly.

Main advantages:

  • resistance to bacteriosis and bean mosaic virus
  • universality
  • short stature
  • unpretentiousness

Cons:

  • sprawling bushes do not respond well to thickening

9. 8 / 10

Rating

Reviews

Sugar shovel - the best variety of green beans for pickling. These beans are truly versatile - large sweet pods and large tender grains. I advise summer residents of the "weekend", as the shoulder blades do not overripe for a long time and do not coarsen.

Green beans or asparagus: the best semi-sugar varieties

Gribovskaya 92 (Russia)

Continues our rating of the best varieties of beans Gribovskaya 92 - an old mid-early bush variety. From germination to consumer ripeness, 50-60 days pass. The plant forms a medium-branched shrub 30–40 cm high. The beans are straight, 12–15 cm long, xiphoid, slightly curved, green, with a slightly pronounced parchment layer and fibers that appear when ripe. Seeds are white, oval, flattened. It has a universal use: at the very beginning of the fruiting of the shoulder, later - grain. Beans Gribovskaya in the registry for the North-Western, Central, North Caucasian and West Siberian regions. This variety of beans bears fruit well even in unfavorable years, and is distinguished by good disease resistance.

Main advantages:

  • good adaptation
  • unpretentiousness
  • heat resistance
  • short and compact
  • early grain formation

Cons:

  • average yield
  • rapid coarsening of bean shells

9. 8 / 10

Rating

Reviews

An excellent variety of green beans for those who do not eat a lot of shoulder blades. I don’t freeze his shoulder blades, but preserve them - they turn out sweet and crispy. If the beans are plucked on time, there are no fibers. Therefore, it is necessary to clean it every other day.

Dream hostess (Russia)

Mid-season bush variety of green beans. It ripens for shoulder blades in 60-65 days, for grain - in 86-90 days after germination. The plant forms a medium-sized bush with a height of 30 - 50 cm. In the North Caucasus region it has industrial importance, in the middle lane it is grown in household plots. The beans are straight, flat, 16 - 18 cm long, wide, green when unripe and bright yellow when ripe, with a medium beak, with a partial parchment layer and late appearing fibers. Seeds are oval, white, large. Designed for early production of blades and high yield of grain, including in the phase of milky-wax ripeness for freezing and canning. Zoned in all regions. If you leave the beans until fully ripe, they do not burst and the grain does not crumble. The variety is weakly susceptible to ascochitosis and anthracnose.

Main advantages:

  • versatility
  • high grain yield
  • drought resistance
  • unpretentiousness

Cons:

  • beans coarsen quickly

9. 7 / 10

Rating

Reviews

I pick beans often until the seeds appear - then they are juicy and tender. When we are full of pods, I leave the beans for grain.

Grain or shell beans: best varieties

Lastochka (Russia)

Next in our ranking of the best varieties of beans, Swallow is an early ripe grain bean of the bush type. Beans ripen 65 - 75 days after germination. The plant forms a short, slightly sprawling bush, 30–40 cm high. Beans 15 cm long, straight, without voids, green with frequent red-pink strokes. The seeds are oval, oblong, large, white with a maroon pattern on ½ beans in the form of a large spot and inclusions, quickly boil soft and do not require soaking. The variety is unpretentious in care and resistant to adverse factors, including major crop diseases. Grown in all regions.

Main advantages:

  • excellent consumer qualities
  • easy maintenance of compact bushes
  • drought tolerance

Cons:

  • average yield

9. 8 / 10

Rating

Reviews

I have been growing the Swallow variety for a long time, the beans are very bright and large. Ripens well, does not get sick.

Rubin (Russia)

Mid-season corn bean bush type. Ripens in 75 - 87 days. The plant is medium-sized, forms a bush 50 - 60 cm high and bright pink flowers. The beans are straight, medium length (10 - 12 cm), narrow, with a long "beak". Seeds are round-oval, deep cherry color, medium size. The garnish is tender, with a thin and inconspicuous skin. The variety was bred in the Oryol region and zoned in all regions. Suitable for intensive agricultural cultivation. For the full realization of potential productivity, top dressing with mineral fertilizers and complexes of microelements is required. Given the height of the bush, it is better to let the shoots along the support. This is not necessary, but will greatly simplify watering and weeding.

Main advantages:

  • excellent consumer qualities
  • resistance to lodging
  • beans do not crack and seeds do not crumble

Cons:

  • medium drought tolerance

9. 8 / 10

Rating

Reviews

Beans are very tasty and tender. Yield every year pleases. I grow without support, in one row.

Little Red Riding Hood (Russia)

Mid-late corn bean variety of bush type. Grain ripens in 95 - 100 days after full shoots. The plant forms a spreading, medium-branched shrub 35-40 cm high, with numerous white flowers. Beans 10 - 12 cm long, contain 8 - 12 grains, pale yellow when ripe. The beans are round-oval, slightly flattened, with a smooth surface, white with a large blurred red spot, of medium size. During heat treatment, the grains retain their shape, do not fall apart, but are tender and without a hard skin. Widespread bean variety with good adaptation. In the northern regions, to obtain dry ripened grain, it is necessary to take into account the growing season. Early landings under covering material or film are justified.

Main advantages:

  • high yield
  • external attractiveness of grain
  • resistance to anthracnose and bacteriosis
  • resistance to lodging
  • short stature

Cons:

  • spreading bushes require thin planting

9. 8 / 10

Rating

Reviews

I use standard care when growing beans. I like it very much in cooking: it is tasty and cooks quickly, even without long soaking.

Growing beans

Beans grow best in fertile soils. On poor soils, organic, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, and ash are applied in autumn.

In the middle lane, bean seeds are sown directly into the ground in late May - early June (simultaneously with cucumbers, that is, when the threat of frost has passed). Seedlings appear after 5-7 days, they are very sensitive to frost. With the threat of a cold snap, the seedlings are covered with spunbond or other covering material. Mature plants can withstand short light frosts. The optimum temperature for plant growth and development is 20–25 °C.

Growing beans from seedlings gives good results. Seedlings are planted at a soil temperature of 10 ° -12 ° (end of May, June).

Beans are a heat-resistant plant. But at the same time it loves moist soils, in hot and dry weather it needs to be watered. To keep watering and weeding to a minimum, the soil can be mulched.

Like all legumes, nodule bacteria reside on the roots of beans, which fix nitrogen from the air and enrich the soil with it. Therefore, peas and beans are not pulled out, but cut off with scissors at the root. The roots remain in the ground, the green mass can be chopped with a shovel and buried.

Growing beans is not troublesome and even exciting. There are really many good and productive varieties.

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