RED KIDNEY BEANS, SEEDS???
LondonFieldsIpswich
Posts: 5
Why don't you find anyone selling Red Kidney beans?
I started my allotment in May this year (2017) and have had a bumper harvest.
Together with growing traditional summer crop, I decided to grow some more unusual/relevant crops to my culture so I grew the following:
SWEET POTATOES - from my own slips
TURMERIC - from roots
CHICKPEAS - from supermarket packet
and others, the thing that concerns me the most is the
RED KIDNEY BEANS - from a supermarket packet.
Now the crop has been abundant, even though the plant itself is not the most attractive plant. Leaves were rather yellow, I fed it the usual bean preferable feeds including Epsom Salts to help make the leaves greener but no real success with this area.
I shouldn't complain because I now have loads of beans from the crop but I am left wondering, why considering how popular Chili Con Carne is, why no one is selling these beans.
Can anyone help me please?
Posts
That's interesting London Fields
I use whichever beans I'm growing for my chilli ... a friend who comes from S. America says that they use several different types of beans there ... often Navy beans (which are grown here for canning for baked beans) black eyed peas and kidney beans.
This year I've grown Borlotti beans and they'll be going in my chilli and other bean dishes until they're all used up.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I bought a packet of Red Kidney Beans from Sainsburys and germinated a couple of the beans. I produced a lovely crop of beans... I just wanted to know if there was a problem with this.
I too have Borlotti beans but they are not the same
Are those the ones you have to boil for hours because they are poisonous or is that a myth?
YES, they are. The inexperienced would soak them and eat the raw
.
The Caribbeans, South Americans and Mexicans have been eating them for centuries. They are the beans that are in RICE AND PEAS.
Nowadays, most people buy them already cooked in tins for Chili but the Caribbeans prefer them from dried. You have to soak them overnight and cook them until they are very, very soft (hours and hours or quicker in a pressure cooker), then they make a most wonderful meal you can add them to rice, sauces or soup.
I just think it is strange that you just don't see anyone growing them when they seem to grow so easily in a greenhouse.
I can't imagine that there's any problem with growing beans from supermarket beans.
People have been doing it with beans and marrowfat peas for ages.
However, all beans contain phytohemagglutninin which can be toxic if eaten in high quantities. Red kidney beans contain a high level and should be boiled rapidly for at least 10 minutes to break it down and render it harmless.
I tend to do this with most dried beans, just to be on the safe side as some people have more delicate innards than others.
There's information here http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/eating-black-beans-good-you-3605.html
Last edited: 04 October 2017 12:51:32
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Brilliant. Thanks Dovefromabove. I did think this, I just wanted to know what others thought about this. I'll be growing a lot more next year.
Judy x
THE ONLY REASON THAT I CAN SEE FOR PEOPLE NOT GROWING THEM IS THAT YOU HAVE TO WAIT FOR THEM TO MATURE. THEY TAKE UP SPACE IN OTHERWISE USEFUL GROUND FOR A LONG TIME WHILE THEY DRY OUT.
I AM CURRENTLY WAITING FOR MY RUNNER BEANS TO SET SEED AND THE PODS ARE STILL GREEN, TOO SOON TO TAKE THEM OFF THE PLANT. HAD I BEEN AN AVID GROWER OF OTHER THINGS I MIGHT WELL BE CURSING THEM BY NOW.
I SOMETIMES USE DRIED RUNNER BEANS FOR CHILI DISHES.
If you live in Derbyshire, as I do.
Judy ... when did you plant them and how long until harvest time? Are they a low-growing 'dwarf' type or a climber like my Borlotti?
I take it you're in Ipswich ... I'm a Tractor Girl even tho' I've been transplanted up here to the land of the Canaries
My daughter lives in Ipswich ... she's a gardener and posts on here too. 
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Hey, hey Tractor Girl. I planted the beans late, in June. They grew a dwarf plant which I supported with wire. I am still harvesting beans today so they've 'bean' amazing. I will germinate my new beans next year around March, I reckon I will get a much bigger harvest if we have weather.
So your daughter lives in Ipswich eh? We moved here from London last year and have fallen in love with Suffolk life totally. My plot is at the London Road Allotments. I will be creating a website to promote Ipswich Allotments next year. Get her to pop by one day, I'd love to meet up with her. xxx
I think you may be in the same neighbourhood!!!
I'll let her know.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.