Maxibel maxed out

[b54red]

This year I planted two short rows of Maxibel beans around 18 ft each and used a small conduit rack to keep them upright. I planted the beans approximately 10 to 12 inches apart which is further apart than I have ever allowed. The crop this year has easily been double what I usually get from rows the same size and I must credit the extra room I allowed the plants. I had noticed the plants with the most beans on them were usually the end plants or plants where there was a big gap from poor germination of seed so I thought I would just give them lots of room and it worked.

I have also found somewhere that has supplied me with really fresh super high germination seeds finally. I ordered some from High Mowing seeds and the germination for the past two orders has been nearly 100% which is incredible for beans. I have been growing Maxibel for about a dozen years with great success except for germination problems which have plagued me until I started getting the seeds from High Mowing. I got sick of planting rows of beans with huge gaps when the seeds came up so I kept ordering til I found a good source. I hope they remain that good.

Bill

[Tormato]

Originally Posted by b54red

This year I planted two short rows of Maxibel beans around 18 ft each and used a small conduit rack to keep them upright. I planted the beans approximately 10 to 12 inches apart which is further apart than I have ever allowed. The crop this year has easily been double what I usually get from rows the same size and I must credit the extra room I allowed the plants. I had noticed the plants with the most beans on them were usually the end plants or plants where there was a big gap from poor germination of seed so I thought I would just give them lots of room and it worked.

I have also found somewhere that has supplied me with really fresh super high germination seeds finally. I ordered some from High Mowing seeds and the germination for the past two orders has been nearly 100% which is incredible for beans. I have been growing Maxibel for about a dozen years with great success except for germination problems which have plagued me until I started getting the seeds from High Mowing. I got sick of planting rows of beans with huge gaps when the seeds came up so I kept ordering til I found a good source. I hope they remain that good.

Bill

The best source, for fresh seed with great germination, would be you.

[Labradors2]

I agree with Tormato. Why on earth wouldn't you save your own seeds?

Most interesting about the spacing!

Linda

[b54red]

With all the rain and high humidity down here it is not so easy to save good quality bean seed. They frequently end up moldy before they can dry properly.

Bill

[Labradors2]

That's a bummer that it's so difficult to save your own bean seeds! I leave mine hanging on the vines and they dry all by themselves. I do harvest them if we're going to get a lot of rain.

Linda

[shelleybean]

That's very interesting about the spacing of the plants. All my bush bean spaces are full right now-Brittle Wax, Bountiful, White Acre peas and Woods Prolific Lima--but when one of these is done, I'm going to try spacing mine further apart and see if I get the same results. Thanks.

[b54red]

Since I am just sick of beans right now and don't plan to pick them anymore I will try letting them mature and see if the seed will dry. We have had 6 straight days with a good rain everyday and very high humidity. If that weather will let up for a couple of weeks maybe I can get some to dry on the vines. We'll see.

Bill

[pauldavid]

Congratulations on your good crop. Sounds like you had a good run with them Bill.

[Tormato]

It seems like you only need a couple of plants to produce enough saved seed for your use. While you cannot do anything about the humidity, you should be able to protect a few plants from the rain.

[b54red]

Originally Posted by pauldavid

Congratulations on your good crop. Sounds like you had a good run with them Bill.

I have been having a good run with them for years but adding the little trellis to keep them upright and spacing them wider has allowed me to get the same amount from far less space. I now plant about 1/3rd the rows I used to plant. I think keeping them upright and more spaced out also helps keep them alive much longer.

Bill

[b54red]

Originally Posted by Tormato

It seems like you only need a couple of plants to produce enough saved seed for your use. While you cannot do anything about the humidity, you should be able to protect a few plants from the rain.

It is usually the humidity that is the problem not rain. Once they fill out if I get a week of lower humidity they should dry rather quickly with our near 100 degree temps just so long as the humidity doesn't get up near 100%. I quit growing garlic because I couldn't dry it for storage because it took so long to dry and no way would the humidity stay low enough long enough. The only successful way to dry it was indoors with air conditioning most summers and that is not something anyone with a nose wants to do.

Bill

[b54red]

Oh well I tried. Saving the seed was a total bust. Way too much humidity this year. They were nearly all rotten in the shells which never got truly dry just shriveled up and browned. Moldy to boot. It would probably work if beans came off around the end of September when it usually gets much drier and the humidity actually gets closer to a normal level; but of no way beans survive our July and August heat. I'll continue ordering from High Mowing Seeds for all of my bean seeds in the future.

Bill

[pauldavid]

You gave it a good shot Bill. All the rain you had will ruin anything.

[Bipetual]

At least High Mowing is offering free shipping now, unless it's like a $200 order or something. It's great if you just need a packet or two of seeds not to have to pay as much for shipping as you do for the seeds. They're a good company to do business with.

[pauldavid]

Originally Posted by Bipetual

At least High Mowing is offering free shipping now, unless it's like a $200 order or something. It's great if you just need a packet or two of seeds not to have to pay as much for shipping as you do for the seeds. They're a good company to do business with.

Thanks for the info. Free shipping is nice!