Dumb Bean Question

[Eeyore]

I'm looking at "Painted Lady Runner Bean" seeds. Are these beans edible like green beans or do they need to be shelled and just the seed part eaten? If the pods are edible when should they be picked?

[Dumbo]

Per http://www.seedsavers.org/Details.aspx?itemNo=319, Young pods can be eaten whole, or the beans can be eaten fresh or dried. Even the flowers are edible.

per http://www.halcyonplants.co.uk/index.ph ... ct_id=1327, Pick beans as small as you can. Do not leave the beans on the plant after they reach 25cm as thay will be tough.
If there are too many to eat freeze or compost the excess to encourage further fruiting.

[Laura]

As far as I know you can eat the pods but you must do this early because they become very tough pretty quickly.I only grow runners as flowers but my mom did use the beans when dried.She used them mostly as you would lima beans.

I pick off the flowers and most of the pods,I just keep a few beans to grow the next season.

[orchidguy]

Lyn,
The Painted Lady is an heirloom, and seeds saved will grow true the following season. They have a sweet pod, so are good when picked young and eaten, and IMO are better than dried. Saying that, I have dried them in the past, but were really no better than the bagged dry beans you can buy for next to nothing at the supermarket.
As with all runners, pick often even if not needed, so the plant will keep producing until frost,

[Eeyore]

Thank You very much everyone. I'll order some seed then and give them a try.

[Lulu]

For yellow beans, that are stringless, and great to eat fresh off the bush or cooked up, I had great success last year with "Pencil Pod Black" beans.

[Eeyore]

Yellow beans are my favorite Lulu. I'll try those ones. I'll be making a seed order soon. Are these heavy producers?

[davefrombc]

I prefer the purple beans that turn a deep green when cooked; but enjoy all the yellow and green beans fresh or pickled.

[Lulu]

Yellow beans are my favorite Lulu. I'll try those ones. I'll be making a seed order soon. Are these heavy producers?

Yes they produce fairly heavy, Lyn, for about 3 weeks, so, I planted two 10 ft rows, then, a few weeks later, two more rows, for a continuous supply for myself, my friends & family & freezer.

[OGrubber]

Lyn,
In my experience, none of the runner beans are as prolific as bush types, so if you are big bean eaters I'd suggest planting more than you think you'll need or add a back-up of bush beans.
Also, as others have mentioned the runner types need to be harvested young to avoid them being too "stringy".
They do look beautiful on trellis supports.