[AnneB]

Despite having promised never to bother with them again due to poor yields (several years running), I found myself sowing and nurturing climbing Borlotti beans again this year, variety Lingua del Fuoco.  It seemed churlish just to leave the seed in the box.

Amazingly I have just harvested enough beans for one salad, which is one salad more than I have managed before.
The plants are loaded with many more pods.  I am going to keep my fingers crossed that there is enough sunshine and no frost for long enough to allow at least some of them to ripen.

Here are the pretty things.

[sunshineband]

They look lovely Anne! 

Even if the pods don't quite dry enough, you can still use the beans, or finish their drying indoors. Great for winter use 😌😌

[madcat]

I aways end up finishing the drying indoors and they store lovely.  Completely given up buying dried beans, your own borlottis will be sooooooo much better. 

And they are so pretty, aren't they? 

[ptarmigan]

So, I have borlotti beans that are looking really good - first year they've come to anything.

If I pick them know I can use them fresh and then just leave any left over in an airy place to dry - is that it? 

[madcat]

Yup.  I love them for being easy at this stage and not needing freezer space.

[Glosterboy]

Is it advisable to dry beans within their pods or remove from their pods? I've also noticed the few beans of which I've removed from their pods there is a little browning within the area of which they were attached to the pod. Are they still OK? Thanks.

[New shoot]

Is it advisable to dry beans within their pods or remove from their pods? I've also noticed the few beans of which I've removed from their pods there is a little browning within the area of which they were attached to the pod. Are they still OK? Thanks.

I always find it best to dry the beans in the pods, but there is nothing wrong with the ones that have browned a little.  So long as they are fully dried they will keep and are fine to eat.

If you think they are not fully drying out, cook them and either eat them up or freeze them