Worth, I've grown those same beans for years. From Korea. I do think they like cool nights and sunny days.
both hummingbirds and bumble bees polinate, regular bees don't have the skills.
good luck

I am growing the purple podded one this year again, and a self pollinating one

Good Luck

That's cool that you have one flowering. You never know about Texas weather, this coming 45 or so days may actually be a little cooler than usual in your neck of the woods? We've seen a recent thread with data that suggests it could be possible in the Austin area this spring.

Jeannine, I believe I'm growing the same purple podded runner you are. How are you liking it? The only fresh beans we ate while I was growing up were runners and I'm really liking this one. Tender and stringless to boot, it's one of the best I've eaten. I'm still getting some green pods but most turn purple as they mature. I've been growing these the last 3 years before that it was Insuk's Wang Kong another one that does well for me. I only grow one runner each year and I've managed to get the gardeners in my neighborhood to grow the same one as I am by giving them the seed.
Annette

Hi Annette, o you remember it's name or where you got it from.

I have a thing about runners I must admit but they are so promiscuous darn it.

XX Jeannine

Hi back at you Jeannine, it's 'Aeron Purple Star' bred by a fellow in Wales. He offers them up every year but he's all out for this growing season. If you need seed I have extra.

Annette

Hi, yes I thought so, I original got my seeds from him. I wondered if you got them from him or via the ones I had spread about.

I am growing 2 this year though so probably won't be saving seeds for growing. As they are predicting the bee numbers could be even lower than the usual low I am growing the self pollinating one called Moonlight. I may keep seeds of both just for me to see what happens as I am separating them by quite a distance. I don't want to grow just the one in case they are right about the bees..but I may change my mind as I haven't sown yet and grow my Gigantes instead as I haven't grown them for three years...still trying to decide. Oh the pressure!!

LOL, it's been 3 or 4 years since I've grown 'Gigandes' they sure make big shellies, maybe next year I should renew my seed. Beans especially heirloom pole beans are my weakness I keep adding more and more to my collection, can't seem to stop :).

Annette

I have been growing them for years but I ran out of seed and started searching.LOL I had gigantes being sent to me from all over but they were smaller it took me years to find a seed that I was happy with. My original Gigantes which I bought when in Greece were huge but I lost the last few I had when I was ill I think. I did eventually find one I was happy to work with and now after selecting for size for some time I have them nearly back up to the right size..I have just measured a couple which are a hairs breath short of 1 3/4 inch however being honest most of them are about 1 1/2 inches which is Ok as they get much bigger after soaking..I couldn't be without these.. I think I have just mad up my mind..the thought of losing them again Oh my.


I used to have a huge bean collection and a huge squash one and peas and lets not even mention tomatoes but I am getting on and have gradually reduced my stash.

I don't have the space anymore anyway so I have to be very careful when gardening on a postage stamp.

X Jeannine

Jeannine, I think mine are about the same size as yours, if my memory serves me correctly my largest dry seed was a hair over 1 3/4 ins. 8 beans filled my hand and my hands aren't that small also have another called 'Samos Greek Lima' it's a runner not a lima.
Talk about getting old I bet I've got you beat there but I plan on gardening until I drop.

Annette

Yes I know that one too , it confuses a lot of folks.. I don't bet but I may have you beat, go on I dare you I will tell if you will tell LOL


Do you have a big collection of Broad beans too

XX Jeannine

LOL, I'm way up there, I'll be 79 later this year, since my mother lived to be 103 I'm hoping I have a few more gardening years left in me. As to broad beans, nary a one, DH doesn't care for them and as my space is limited I gave them a pass. I grow mostly pole beans but end up growing one or two bush varieties each year, this year it's 'Candy' and 'Tanya's Pink Pod' and 18 pole varieties, last year including the samples I grew it was around 40 :).

Annette

Well you win, I am only 74.
I sowed some Gigantes in post at midnight last night!! Still not sure about the other one. I looked for my Aeron PP and couldn't find them. I did find a big ziplock full of what were for sure runner beans so I am hoping those are they and I just forget to label them. Everything else is labelled and I didn't grow more than one kind for the last two years so I am hoping it is OK.

XX Jeannine

[QUOTE=Worth1;527593]I just did a wee bit of looking on line, not gonna happen.:lol:
One of the problems is people say they come from Mexico and bla bla.
Well Mexico isn't all desert hot and dry.:lol:
I will look for some sort of cow pea or yard long bean to grow like I did one year.
I need something to fill in my arbor and I want a big bean Teepee in the front yard.
Worth[/QUOTE]

I can send you some hyacinth beans. They loved Phoenix.

[QUOTE=Worth1;527593]I just did a wee bit of looking on line, not gonna happen.:lol:
One of the problems is people say they come from Mexico and bla bla.
Well Mexico isn't all desert hot and dry.:lol:
I will look for some sort of cow pea or yard long bean to grow like I did one year.
I need something to fill in my arbor and I want a big bean Teepee in the front yard.
Worth[/QUOTE]Have you ever considered sword bean for that arbor? Huge vines, beautiful sweetly-scented flowers, and enormous eye-catching pods. Kitazawa sells two varieties.