Gigandes Beans

[allgreektome.net]

I' am happy you like them. The last time I saw really big sized (elephants) beans from Kastoria was a few months ago. Once per week in my town there is something like an open-market (flea market, street market, really hard to explain) with fruits, vegetables and seeds straight from producers. There you can find products from all over Greece, bust since elephant beans is something rare, they are available only for a couple of weeks on October. I'll ask the producers if the have kept any.

Regards,
George

[Jeannine Anne]

George that would be wonderful, you are very kind, thank you so much .

XX Jeannine

[Fusion_power]

Just throwing this website out for thoughts. Take a look at the items available including beans.

http://www.optimafoods.com/products/

DarJones

[Fusion_power]

I planted a row of the Gigandes beans across my garden. There were 80 beans each 1.5 feet apart in the row. I also planted a row of Fortex pole beans and a row of Old Time Pink & White lima beans.

This coming week, I will try to put in 4 more rows of beans, 3 rows of peanuts, 10 rows of tomatoes, and a patch of watermelons, cucumbers, and cantaloupes.

Today is 4/4/2012.

DarJones

[Fusion_power]

About 2/3 of the Gigandes beans have germinated and are up to 3 inches tall. I can tell a few of them are not going to come up, but about 95% of them are growing though some have not emerged from the soil yet.

Today is 4/13/2012.

DarJones

[Fusion_power]

I put up a string trellis for the Gigandes beans today. Some of the runners are up to 2 feet long. I have about 80% of the beans growing and looking good with others that have been attacked by bugs and need to be sprayed. today is 4/26/2012.

DarJones

[Tracydr]

I wish I could grow runner beans in AZ. They sound wonderful!

[Fusion_power]

The gigandes beans have nearly reached the top of the trellis which is about 6' 4" tall. Growth is relatively fast and it looks like blooming will start next week. I sprayed the beans one time to control bugs. They are looking much better now that warm weather is consistent and pest pressure is reduced. Today is 5/5/2012.

DarJones

[Rockporter]

http://www.purcellmountainfarms.com/Gigandes.htm

[Fusion_power]

No cigar Rock. Those are NOT gigandes. What purcell sells is a lima bean. Granted it is a big one, just look for Big Mama lima beans. What I am growing is a runner bean from Greece.

DarJones

[Rockporter]

umm, one of those change the name to suit their sales pocketbook, eh?

[Jeannine Anne]

I have bought them from Purcell and thery are nothing like the ones I was searching for. T he Greek imports we bought this year same as Fusion Power are definately Gigandes, and I am sure they will be just fine, mine are going in pots any day now. I am still on the search fro the Elephantes gigandes but am happy to find the one I have and it feels good to have brought it to folks mind so they can try it themselves. I don't think the folks who got the seeds via |Fusion or through his contact will be dissapointed. We should measure seeds at the end of the year. These are my all time favourites.

XX Jeannine

[Fusion_power]

Flowers are showing up on about 1/3 of the plants. They are large white blossoms on typical runner bean racemes. From the looks, I would expect mature beans in about 2 months. We will see!

About half of the runners are now to the top of the trellis and trying to go higher.

Today is 05/10/2012.

DarJones

[Fusion_power]

I tilled and weeded the beans today and twisted runners up the strings if they had not yet attached. Some of the blossoms appear to have been pollinated and set beans. They look really really good at this point, we have had unseasonably cool wet weather which has suited them very well.

Today is 5/12/2012.

DarJones

[Jeannine Anne]

I have just started mine, too cold here before now. I have three out of 20 germinated on paper towel(today) so am optimistic I shall get more. Putting themn in 3 inch pots as they germinate and outside a little later.

XX Jeannine