FREE: Scarlet Runner beans [12]

The listing, Scarlet Runner beans [12] has ended.

The beans can be eaten at any stage: at 4-5" as tender baby green beans; at 7-8", (but before the beans really develop) they can be cut on the diagonal and eaten as italian green beans or frenched and steamed until tender. When the beans are still light pink, they can be eaten like lima beans. You have to keep the vines well picked if you want them to continue to flower and produce. At the end of the summer, the beans will feverishly push to ripen some of the pods. Let it happen, in order to have enough seed for next year. You can pick large swelled pods and dry them indoors if you like, or allow them to dry on the vines, if they are protected from the first frosts. Either way, let them dry IN THE PODS until they rattle.
A vining perennial that may grow many feet during the growing season. In most gardens (particularly in cold areas), the plant will die back but can grow back from roots the following season. Scarlet flowers reminiscent of common garden beans and peas are born in clusters on short stalks. Podded fruits follow with a few large seeds. The seeds are very pretty themselves and multi-colored.