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McClellan Ranch Project Trial 1997
Green or "Snap" Bean Ratings
by Ralph Riddle
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| Blue Lake (3) | The standard green bean |
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Best overall. Highest yield, best taste. Slowest to begin producing. | ||||
| Strike (2) | Medium green, straight 5 1/2" |
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Good alternative to Blue Lake in a bush variety. | ||||
| Flat Italian | Wide, flat 5-7" long |
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Some tasters preferred the seeds over the pods. | ||||
| Nickel (Filet) (1) | Slender, Filet type. |
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Production is concentrated into a very short period. | ||||
| Kwintus (1) | Wide, flat 7-10" long |
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Early producer. Pods are tender no matter how large. Longest production period. | ||||
| Slankette (Filet)(6) | Bright green, slender 5" long |
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Disease-resistant | ||||
| Landreth (2) | Medium green, 5" long |
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Heat tolerant | ||||
| Green Crop (2) | Flat, straight 6-7" long |
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Heat tolerant | ||||
- Notes:
- Yields: Pole beans far outproduce bush varieties.
- Green or "Snap" or are grown for pencil-diameter pods. When fresh and crisp can be "snapped" or broken with your fingers
- Filet (Haricots verts) type: Grown for the green pods but picked when very slender -1/8 in diameter
- Days to harvest were what we observed in this project.
- Yields: Pole beans far outproduce bush varieties.
Shelling Bean Ratings
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| Vermont Cranberry (1) | Medium size with cranberry colored stripes |
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Heirloom variety. Best tasting. Early producer. | |||
| Cannelone (Cannelini) (1) | Small cream-colored |
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Heirloom variety. Favored in Italian recipes. | |||
| Jacob's Cattle (5) | Large pink with maroon spots |
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Heirloom variety. Very early and good tasting as a green or "snap" bean. | |||
| Midnight Black Turtle (6) | Small purple-black color |
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Slow to mature. Great color for soups and chili. | |||
| Soldier (4) | Medium white with maroon spots |
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Heirloom variety. Drought resistant. | |||
| Layfayette (4) | Tan, speckled with red spots |
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Heirloom variety. | |||
| Nez Perce (4) | Medium yellow-brown |
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Heirloom variety. | |||
| Mildred (4) | Large white |
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Heirloom variety. | |||
| Swedish Brown (5) | Small yellow-brown |
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Heirloom variety. | |||
- Notes:
- Yields: Pole beans far outproduce bush varieties.
- Shelling beans are grown for the mature seeds which are eaten fresh or dried. Pods may also be tasty when young and pencil-diameter.
- Seeds from heirloom varieties may be saved and replanted with predictable results.
- Days to harvest were what we observed in this project.
- Yields: Pole beans far outproduce bush varieties.
Bean Descriptions
C=Cultivated Variety H=Heirloom Variety
Blue Lake. Pole Bean. (85 days) Snap bean.(C) (Nichols) Vigorous, many branched plant produces heavy yields. Slow to form seeds or fiber. A long time favorite with commercial canneries and packers.
Cannelone. Bush Bean (85-95 days).Shelling bean. (H) (Cooks) A highly productive white kidney bean used for hearty winter soups and stews. This type of bean first appeared in America in the early 1800's, but these beans came from Italy. Great for baking.
Flat Italian. Pole Bean. (60-70 days) Snap bean. (C) (Seeds of Change) Popular European variety, considered by many to be the finest flavored snap bean. These wide flat stringless 5-7" beans have tender pods and higher yields.
Green Crop: Bush Bean (52 days). Snap bean.(C) (Jordan) This flat podded variety, developed by the University of New Hampshire, will grow well in all climates and continue to bear long after hot weather has forced others to quit. Delicious dark green crisp pods are 6"-7" long, straight and stringless. Very reliable and dependable.
Jacobs Cattle:Bush bean.(80-100 days).Shelling bean.(H) (Seeds of Change) Brightly patterned bean seeds are shiny with deep maroon splashes like the cost of bright Appaloosa horses.
Kwintus: Pole bean. (60-80 days). Snap bean.(C) (Cooks) One of a whole new breed of European climbing beans selected for green houses but equally at home outdoors. The vigorous vines bear early and are literally covered with long, flat green pods that stay tender and flavorful no matter how large they get. This is both the first and the last bean to pick, consistently out performing all others.
Lafayette: Bush bean (85 days). Shelling bean. (H) (Seeds Saver's Exchange) 12" upright plant with 5" pod. High yielding. Shell or bake bean. Tan speckled with red. Pale lavender blooms. Brought from France by General Lafayette in 11776. Grown in Rhode Island.
Landreth. Bush bean. (52 days). Snap bean. (C) (Jordan) 5"-5.5" medium, green stringless bean. Tolerates heat.
Midnight Black Turtle: Bush bean. (103 days) Shelling bean.(C)(Shepards).Have a rich chocolatey flavor that makes them a real favorite. They are delicious in a classic black bean soup but also make great chili, refried beans or a wonderful whole meal salad when topped with chopped tomatoes, a little garlic, bell peppers, onions and parsley/cilantro. This is an improved, earlier maturing bush black bean variety whose pods grow upright and are easier to harvest, especially in wet weather. This reliable, high protein variety grows well even in short season climate zones.
Mildred: Pole bean. (110 days). Shelling bean. (H) (Seed Saver's Exchange). Open pollinated.
Nez Perce: Bush bean. (90 days). Shelling bean. (H) (Seed Saver's Exchange). Small leafed plant with 5-6 yellow brown beans on pod. Semi-climber to 3 feet. Light brown plant. Short stake and short runners.
Nickel: Bush bean. (45-55 days). Filet bean (haricots verts). (C). (Cook's). This exciting French filet is one of a new breed of long holding filets that can provide first rate, thin yet flavorful baby beans. The concentrated harvest period considerably lowers the labor in having first rate Filets for the table because you only have to harvest once or twice. Each plant may bear 1/4 lb. or more over two pickings a week apart, so plant just enough Nickel filets for a week's use, then replant at two week intervals until two months before the end of the season. (Replanted 6/29)
Slankette: Bush bean. (53 days) Filet bean (haricots verts). (C) (Shepard's) Dutch bean with sleek rounded pods of gourmet-quality. They are especially tender and crunchy with no tough tips or fiber. The vigorous plants bear strong harvests of delicious, bright green 5" pods early in the season. Juicy, sweet-tasting these are especially succulent briefly steamed and sliced into salads or marinated in an herbed vinaigrette. They are also a premier freezing variety for their flavor and handsome rounded pod-shape. They have a high disease resistance to bean mosaic, curly top virus and bean pod mottle. High yielding.
Soldier: Bush bean. (90 days) Shelling bean. (H). (Seed Saver's Exchange).Originally from Yugoslavia sometimes called the Johnson bean because they are popular in New England. A hardy 18" bush that produces heavy yields of pods each containing six kidney-shaped white beans with the characteristic dark maroon "soldier" on the eye. Easy to grow, especially in cool climates and drought resistance. Good for stews and baking.
Strike: Bush bean. (55 days) Snap bean. (C) (Jordan Seeds). 5.5" medium green slim bean. Very high yielding.
Swedish Brown: Bush bean. (85-95 days). Shelling bean. (H) (Seeds of Change). A popular Scandinavian variety brought to the US by early Swedish immigrants, this bush is very hardy and will thrive almost anywhere. Grows to 15" tall and yields brown beans abundantly. A great bean for baking or soups, with a fine nutty flavor.
Vermont Cranberry. Bush bean. (85-95 days). Shelling bean. (H) (Cook's).A favorite old New England dry bean. Medium size oval shaped beans, cranberry colored with darker stripes. Sweet and easy to shell. High yielding 18" tall plants are trouble free and drought resistant, bearing six seeds per pod. ( 60 days to harvest as per the Vermont Bean Seed Company catalog).
Seed Sources
- 1. The Cook's Garden
- P.O. Box 535
- Londonderry, Vermont 05148
- (800) 457-9703
- 2. Jordan Seeds
- 6400 Upper Afton Rd.
- Woodbury, MN 55125
- (612) 738-3422
- 3. Nichols Garden Nursery
- 1190 N. Pacific Hwy
- Albany, OR 97321
- (503) 928-9280
- 4. Seed Savers Exchange
- 3076 N. Winn Rd.
- Decorah, Iowa 52101
- (319) 382-5990
- 5. Seeds of Change
- P.O. Box 15700
- Sante Fe, NM 87506-5700
- (888) 762-7333
- 6. Shephard Garden Seeds
- 30 Irene St.
- Torrington, CN 06790
- (860) 482-0532
- P.O. Box 535
Master Gardener Volunteers: Roxanne Beverstein, Howard Craven, Ralph Eddy, Eve Hansen, Joyce Hoffman, Selia Leach, Tina Lee, Karla Meadows, Ralph Riddle
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