Growing supermarket beans

Justamum

I'm not sure if this has been covered in the past.  Is it possible to grow the dried supermarket beans in the UK and if so which ones are suitable? 

DullGreyGuy

Yes it is, or at least you can certainly get them to sprout and so no reason why they wouldnt then go on to grow if not eating them as sprouting. We've mainly used organic ones from various local shops cos if you're wanting to eat that sort of thing you're probably caring about other aspects too but no reason why others wont work:



As evidenced of house sitter who wasn't too good at cleaning and 2 black beans left in the sink

ka7e

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoqk7VsSYiI

Also haricot https://dig-for-victory.org.uk/growing-advice/dig-victory-leaflets-ww2/peas-beans-dfv-4/french-dwarf-beans-haricot-beans/

twopenny

There's a chance that the variety is a commercial one so may give odd results but I've been growing supermarket sprouting potatoes for years as I'm not fussy about type if they are virtually free.

I'd try and get the ones that are grown in this country so they are suited to the climate (if they aren't greenhouse grown) I know that the lentils from our Organic shop are grown abroad.

Nobbie1967

Berlotti beans grow well in the U.K. Treat them like runner beans, but leave the pods to develop. Once they turn leathery, harvest and dry them out thoroughly indoors.

Justamum

Thanks for all the replies. Next question - what time of year should I plant them?  Am I too late for this year?

LessImpecunious

You should just about be able to sow now for this year - my climbing beans were only planted out a few days ago, and only sown a couple of weeks before that...they should grow very quickly at this time of year (weather permitting!)... worth a try anyhow...

RAS

It will very much depend on the weather and whether you want drying or green beans. I've gone away in the last days of September and come back to a fresh harvest of green beans which kept going into November. And had everything killed by an early frost.

Some varieties bean up quickly like O'Driscoll, others stay green in drought. I also like Blacksmith. And the dwarf ones harvest quicker but produce less per plant. 

Experiment this year, learn what works for you. 

Justamum

Thanks for all the replies.  I'm determined to succeed at growing stuff this year, particularly as everything is so expensive.  I've never been able to grow carrots or spring onions for some reason though so I've given up on them.  I've got tomatoes, potatoes, kale, broccoli, courgettes, pumpkins (including mashed potato pumpkin - should be interesting), onions, lettuce, artichokes, strawberries (if I can pick them before the tiny slugs get at them!).  Some things I tried last year didn't do well - sweetcorn didn't get any edible cobs.

Off to sort some beans out for growing