These may be dwarf but , ohh la laa they do taste good (Dwarf French Beans)

Member Name: mumsymary

Product:	Dwarf French Beans
Date:	21/05/07 (6142 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Do not get blown over by wind

Disadvantages: none

DWARF FRENCH BEANS.

There was a spot of sun today and I decided it was time to sow some dwarf French beans.

I have some runner beans planted and starting to twine their way up some canes. Dwarf French beans will be an alternate that I can grow in a row they do not grow very tall up to about 45 cm. whereas runners will grow a couple of metres tall or more.

What is a Dwarf French bean?
You may call it a vegetable but it’s really a fruit

French beans are originally from South America there are two types a climber or a dwarf. There are several varieties of dwarf French bean. Some are flat podded most are round podded I think. The pod usually grows up to about 6 inches.

While most French bean pods are green some varieties have yellow pod, and there is also a purple podded one two I have grown this and when cooked the bean pod turns green. Dwarf French beans rarely need stringing like runner beans so they are easier quicker too prepare.


Some Dwarf French beans, and where to buy them
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Dobies at www.dobies.co.uk are selling a pack that includes 4 different dwarf beans Ferrari, Masterpiece, Purple Teepee and Maradonna for £2.95p

Or http://www.suttons.co.uk/pd_197364_Bean are selling purple queen for £3.00 per packet.

http://www.seedsofitaly.com/product/260 are selling purple king for £1.45 smaller pkt than Suttons

That is just a small sample of Dwarf French been seeds that are available on line. It is easy to find seeds in garden centres, supermarkets, Wilkinson’s sell them too, and these might be cheaper.
It is possible to save the seed from one crop to plant the next year just let the pods develop then dry them in greenhouse store in a brown paper bag(away from mice) till planting season


When to grow
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Dwarf French beans are easy to grow they like a fertile soil in a sheltered sunny position. Dwarf beans should not need staking but I do put a few sticks by their side for support.

You can sow French bean seeds from April after the frosts till July.
You can sow them direct into the garden but i prefer to start them off in a pot in side my greenhouse. I get a lot of slugs and snails and they like nothing better to nibble my tender young beans if I put them out in the garden too small. Mice like the seed too .

How to grow
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Sow them about 2 inches/5 cm under the soil and keep them well watered. Beans germinate well Sow about 6 inches 15 cm apart. I usually grow a double row.
You usually get a lot of seeds in a pack so I tend to grow some early then some later hoping for a succession of beans.
You can usually be eating Dwarf French beans 12 weeks after sowing the seeds. Pick the beans young they are tastier also it will encourage new beans to grow.
Dwarf beans do not really require staking , but I usually put a few sticks as small stakes around them to protect if its very windy .

These are an ideal seed to sow with young children showing them the roots, for this purpose you could grow them in a jam jar in water.

Preparing, Cooking and eating
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Never eat these beans raw as the raw beans contain some toxins that disappear on cooking.
These beans are best if picked young. Wash them and take of the tops and tails of the bean pod. Now string the sides if necessary and chop the bean into lengths/ chunks o f about 2 in 50 ml. Put into a pan of boiling water and cook for about 8 minutes, drain serve with a knob of butter. They are tasty if you make butter with basil and parsley to serve with them.
Cook some beans in water, Fry some onions and garlic in olive oil, and then stir them together this veg goes well with some fried bacon bits or ham.
Dwarf French beans go well with a variety of meats and an accompaniment of tomatoes, carrots.

Go on you have still got time to plant a few this year. You know you want to really, oh go on just try growing some.

Summary: A short growing French bean