Borlotti Beans

Grown for the first time this year, and picked when small-ish (like Runners). We also grow what we call "flat beans" which are Climbing French Beans which are flat, natch!, rather than tubular like Harricot beans.

The flavour is the same - we prefer the texture of the flat bean we grow (Limka) but its splitting hairs. If Borlotti Beans kept their mottled colour during cooking then that would probably make them a winner

But I think some people grow them to harvest the seeds/beans within them - anyone doing that who can provide some feedback?

Don't the beans stop cropping if you let them "set seed"?

 

I have grown them in the past and found them sensitive to cold at the end of the season and formed the opinion it was that as much as allowing the pods to stay on that stopped them producing. However, I'm rubbish at growing French beans, they are right temperamental things.

I think borlottis are especial difficult, however. For example, I sowed a row of pencil-podded French beans and a row of Borlottis side by side in early June. I was in a panic as it was so late. The evening after I'd sown them was really wet and cool for the time of year and there was several days of that. The French beans germinated ok, not a single borlotti appeared.

Personally, I don't like the flat-podded ones as a green bean, but maybe I don't pick them small enough. I have collected and eaten dried beans but any bean will produce some of these towards the end of the season, not just borlottis. I'd like a decent crop of dried beans ideally but it never seems to happen.