Neckargold Climbing French Bean

£2.50

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Coming soon – awaiting results of germination testing!

A golden treat worth chasing up the canes!
Sunshine-yellow pods that actually stay yellow when cooked. The flavour is clean, nutty and smooth and gloriously string-free, even when the pods mature. If you can keep up with their enthusiastic production, you’ll have a feast on your hands, I started fermenting beans just to keep up with these and they keep their crunch beautifully!

If you leave a few to mature on the vine you’ll have little plump white beans, creamy like cannellini, perfect for tossing into stews or baking with garlic and herbs.

Approx. 50 seeds.

Botanical name: Phaseolus vulgaris

Seed Story: A real keeper from the Neckar Valley in Germany, these golden climbers are as ornamental as they are productive. Their reliability and beautiful flavour have earned them a devoted following among bean aficionados.

Grown by: Ruth Kernohan

Dwarf French Beans
Sow undercover in late spring in deep modules or small pots. Harden off and plant out after last frost. Sow 4 cm deep with spacing 15cm between plants and 40 cm between rows or 20 – 25 cm apart if in raised beds. French beans like warmth, sun and rich soil. Sometimes dwarf beans still need support, so try using twiggy prunings between the plants. Keep plants well-watered and pick frequently to promote more flowers and beans. Dwarf French Beans have a fairly short productive season so sow in succession to provide harvest for longer periods. Can be sown direct later in the season.

Climbing French beans
Sow them in deep modules or small pots in late spring (April) with some seed compost and if there are mice around, cover them up before they germinate, as rodents love the seeds. Harden off the young seedlings, then plant them out about 6-8” apart once all risk of frost has passed and the soil is warming up. Can be sown direct in warmer soil in May. Dig in plenty of organic matter initially and water regularly throughout the season. The beans will need a structure with canes or string to wind themselves around as they climb. Most will find their own way up, but if any get a bit ‘lost’ you can simply wind them up yourself to begin with. Make sure you wind them anticlockwise though, otherwise they’ll just unwind themselves!

Drying Beans
Because drying beans take longer to fully mature on the plant, they’re best started off early, indoors in April. Drying beans are great, as they’re a fantastic source of protein, especially if you’re following a plant-based diet. They’re tasty, healthy and can be stored for a long time without the need for complicated, high-energy processing. You can dry pretty much any bean, but borlottis are my personal favourite as they’re not too big and have thin skins which means a velvety smooth texture when you cook with them later on. They’re great in soups, casseroles and chillies, and in my opinion, make the ultimate home made baked beans. They look fantastic in your garden, with their mottled coloured pods; and the speckled beans themselves are beautiful. A friend of mine once said they look like tiny dragons’ eggs!