Bush Long Bean Mix

We collected these beans in an effort to identify more vegetables that could be grown in Florida summer gardens. Yard long beans are a classic Florida summer vegetable but many gardeners may not want to expend the effort to build a trellis for them to climb on. Just as in normal green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), bush forms of long beans also exist. We collected several varieties to trial and all of them performed well so we decided to sell seed as a multi-variety mix. Some are very early with others a week or two behind. Some of the plants have a less determinate habit that provides a longer harvest and slightly more sprawling nature. Having this mix will give a row of beans the widest possible season for home gardeners. If one particular type is favored it can be flagged and the seeds can be saved for next season. In a double row, these beans perfectly fill up a raised bed garden without too much spillage into the path. Bean pods are harvested young before the seeds start to fill out much. Pods are cooked whole like snap beans. The eating quality of the varieties in this mix is all very high. The beans are much shorter than many types of vining yard long bean, meaning it may be more appropriate to call these “foot long beans”. Flowers of the different varieties are different colors. Mix includes genetics from Chinese and Indian seed sources. Earliest pod harvest begins at 55 days after seeding.

Being a sub-type of cowpea, long beans thrive in tropical conditions. In the summer of 2022 we planted these beans in June and they had no major pest or disease issues growing through the worst of the summer heat and humidity. They can likely be grown with success in Spring and Fall also.

Listing is for 40 seeds. Vigna unguiculata ssp. sesquipedalis