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Anybody grow kidney beans?

I like some beans in my chili, and since I grow almost everything else that goes into the pot, I figure I might as well grow my own kidney beans. I just ordered some "california red" seeds but I've never really grow beans at all, so I guess I gotta figure out a support system of some sort although these are supposed to be bush type plants.
I also recall that they contain toxins and have to be properly cooked (There was a thread on it here somewhere)
And what about drying them, is it just a matter of dehydrating them like peppers?
 
My bush beans never needed any support, but I was growing green beans for eating, not beans for drying. Mine did better when I inoculated at planting, too. Three bushes kept me steadily in fresh green beans until the hot weather hit, then they started dying back.

I've never tried to dry them, so I'm not much help, there.
 
Potawie,

Staking bush beans is a waste of a good pole! They don't get that high.

I blanch my green beans, only because it's far easier than pressure canning them. I have some left from the Summer of '07 and they are still great. For hull out beans, mom always canned them but I can't see a reason blanching would not work. I don't know about dehydrating them, never tried beans or peas.

You should be able to get at least two crops of beans per year, at least I can with green beans.

Mike
 
Other than novelty, growing dry beans in a small garden may be disappointing. To get dry beans, you simply leave them on the plant until the pods turn brown (dry out). This can take anywhere from 60 to over 100 days. That's your total harvest - no picking along the way, so to speak. Simply said, you don't get a whole lot of bang-for-the-buck, unless you're planting LOTS. As others have said, you can get a LOT MORE production from a snap/shellie bean.

Then, there's the whole conversation about pole vs bush. Definitely opposing positions on that one!:)
 
I know its cool to grow your own but as for dried beans go to a store that has bulk bags instead of buying the canned type. you soak them overnight or for many hours and that takes out the gas factor. The money you save can then be used to buy more seeds or light or mats or pots or potting soil or pots or..... haha
 
I've grown green and wax beans but never kidney beans..sort of have to agree that beans are fairly low priced in the stores but it's always nice to grow something you haven't before..be worth a try. The old arguement of pole vs bush beans comes down to how much work you want to do...staking vs just picking them off the bush. Believe me, picking is my choice..if anything grows too tall someone else has to do the picking. 4'10" can't reach too high. lol
 
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