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Post by Laura_in_FL on Jun 23, 2015 12:11:40 GMT -5
For those of you with long hot summers, long beans are a good choice for growing once it gets too hot for most green beans. Chinese Red Noodle is a variety of long beans I have been growing for a few years now. So, who else has grown this? I'll post my review later, but I want to give everyone else a chance to voice their opinions first.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Jun 26, 2015 22:58:42 GMT -5
I have grown those for years now, for the reason you noted - they keep producing when green beans would stop flowering. It was also much better than other long beans I had grown, as those would become sort of hollow, while the red noodle would remain solid, even when growing over 30" long. Good flavor, as well; though different than green beans, it stands up well in the spicy dishes I use them in, and it is my favorite in Szechwan dry fried beans.
As for growing, it takes longer to start producing - about 85 days - and has been prone to rust in my garden. I have kept this in check with the same sprays I use for tomato diseases - copper, oil and potassium bicarbonate, and Actinovate. Incredibly productive, and, like all beans, keep them picked and they keep producing!
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Post by spike on May 16, 2017 10:29:04 GMT -5
I have never grown these but somehow ended up with a package of seeds. Gonna give them a shot this year and see what happens! Advice welcome!!
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Post by Laura_in_FL on May 16, 2017 12:10:45 GMT -5
They like it hot! They also need plenty of room to climb and roam. Most of my trellises are only about 6' tall so I don't need a ladder to pick, so I have the trellises wide enough to give them some horizontal space. I second what Dave said about the rust. It doesn't usually kill the plants if left untreated, but a rust infestation definitely reduces yield a lot. So spraying to control rust is a good plan. If you have a lot of stinkbugs or leaf-footed bugs in your area, I find the stinkbugs and especially leaf-footed bugs like to feed on the pods and leave corky spots on them. (I really hate stinkbugs!) For some reason ants love to congregate on the pods as well, though they don't seem to do any harm. Usually I just flick the pod and make the ants run, then I can pick the pod before the ants regain their courage. Just look before you grab is all I am saying. Although the pods will get 24"-30" long, I like their texture better when I pick them between 12" and 18" long. They cook fast - a quick sautee is all they need. Overcooking them fades their color more; if you just give them a quick cooking they will retain most of their color.
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