As just about everybody knows, we only have small gardens and because the
space is at a premium, every little bit is used to some advantage or other,
therefore the veg garden is miniscule compared to those on GW and has to
work for its living so to speak.

Well this year we have grown 'Enorma' and as there are only the two of us,
we can afford to pick early, having said that, when 'found in the
undergrowth of the forest of leaves' and are 'enormous', they are still
tender and sweet.

Will be trying them again.

Mike
South East Coast of the Isle of Wight

..................................................
For those ex Royal Navy.
http://angelradioisleofwight.moonfru...ive/4574468641
7.30 – 8.00 pm Wednesday 13th August 2014
‘From the Crowe’s Nest’

"'Mike'" wrote in message
...
As just about everybody knows, we only have small gardens and because the
space is at a premium, every little bit is used to some advantage or
other, therefore the veg garden is miniscule compared to those on GW and
has to work for its living so to speak.

Well this year we have grown 'Enorma' and as there are only the two of us,
we can afford to pick early, having said that, when 'found in the
undergrowth of the forest of leaves' and are 'enormous', they are still
tender and sweet.

Will be trying them again.

I always grow Enorma. They are not stringless unless they are young though
and if you miss them them in the undergrowth and beans have formed inside I
find they can be woody.
Having said that, they crop like crazy and I am picking and freezing them
now.

On 10/08/2014 17:36, 'Mike' wrote:
As just about everybody knows, we only have small gardens and because
the space is at a premium, every little bit is used to some advantage or
other, therefore the veg garden is miniscule compared to those on GW and
has to work for its living so to speak.

Well this year we have grown 'Enorma' and as there are only the two of
us, we can afford to pick early, having said that, when 'found in the
undergrowth of the forest of leaves' and are 'enormous', they are still
tender and sweet.

Will be trying them again.

Mike
South East Coast of the Isle of Wight

.................................................
For those ex Royal Navy.
http://angelradioisleofwight.moonfru...ive/4574468641
7.30 – 8.00 pm Wednesday 13th August 2014
‘From the Crowe’s Nest’



Yes, we've grown them many times in the past. They are the best
flavoured beans I've tried so far.

Although we're told that runner beans don't need to be part of a crop
rotation system, we found that, eventually, that production failed
almost completely over 3 or 3yrs. Looking at the root zone, we found
the roots smothered with fat bean aphids:~((.
--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay

In article ,
Spider wrote:
On 10/08/2014 17:36, 'Mike' wrote:
As just about everybody knows, we only have small gardens and because
the space is at a premium, every little bit is used to some advantage or
other, therefore the veg garden is miniscule compared to those on GW and
has to work for its living so to speak.

Well this year we have grown 'Enorma' and as there are only the two of
us, we can afford to pick early, having said that, when 'found in the
undergrowth of the forest of leaves' and are 'enormous', they are still
tender and sweet.

Yes, we've grown them many times in the past. They are the best
flavoured beans I've tried so far.

Interesting. I tend to grow the traditional varieties, but don't
find runner beans as good as blue French beans, though they crop
better. All my French beans are climbing, not dwarf.

Although we're told that runner beans don't need to be part of a crop
rotation system, we found that, eventually, that production failed
almost completely over 3 or 3yrs. Looking at the root zone, we found
the roots smothered with fat bean aphids:~((.

They don't overwinter reliably in Cambridge, anyway.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 17/08/2014 13:22, Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
Spider wrote:
On 10/08/2014 17:36, 'Mike' wrote:
As just about everybody knows, we only have small gardens and because
the space is at a premium, every little bit is used to some advantage or
other, therefore the veg garden is miniscule compared to those on GW and
has to work for its living so to speak.

Well this year we have grown 'Enorma' and as there are only the two of
us, we can afford to pick early, having said that, when 'found in the
undergrowth of the forest of leaves' and are 'enormous', they are still
tender and sweet.

Yes, we've grown them many times in the past. They are the best
flavoured beans I've tried so far.

Interesting. I tend to grow the traditional varieties, but don't
find runner beans as good as blue French beans, though they crop
better. All my French beans are climbing, not dwarf.



Now we're the opposite! - much prefer runners to any of the French ones
*and* we found that french types cropped better. Pity it's not the
other way round.


Although we're told that runner beans don't need to be part of a crop
rotation system, we found that, eventually, that production failed
almost completely over 3 or 3yrs. Looking at the root zone, we found
the roots smothered with fat bean aphids:~((.

They don't overwinter reliably in Cambridge, anyway.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.



They didn't overwinter with us, either. I was often tempted to lift a
few roots and try and overwinter them for an early start the next
season, but never got round to it. Apparently, it can be done, though.
--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay