[Floody]

One of my Borlotto bean plants is giving up the ghost - all its leaves are turning yellow.  I've never grown these before... does this mean that the beans on that plant are now ready for picking, and the plant is dying because it's done its job?   

I've taken a picture with a 20 pence piece in there for scale...are these beans big enough to be called 'ready'?

Cheers

Floody

[Hampshire Hog]

That's the normal size of this type of bean. So yes they are ready.
They should resemble the seeds you started off with.
These beans are very versatile in that you can eat them like French beans eating the whole pod plus beans or later let them dry and use the beans in the winter. If you haven't dried them then you can just eat them as they are at this point. If you dry them then you must remember to soak them ( overnight) and boil them for a good period before eating just like other dried beans.
Cheers HH

[Floody]

Thanks for your help HH, much appreciated. 

[Yorkshire Lass]

What a great post I was just thinking the same about my beans at the lottie today 

[Floody]

Great minds think alike Yorkshire lass! 

[Lulu]

me too, but I think my beans have grown bigger than my seeds !!! and they don't have reds bits on them.  So will leave them a couple of more days.  The pods are just going cream and red rather than green and red so will just wait a bit more.  found some recipes too!!

[Mrs Bee]

You can shell them and freeze them rather than drying and then you don't have to soak them.

[nannytroll]

if freezing them, do they need blanching?

[Floody]

if freezing them, do they need blanching?

nannytroll, that was going to be my next question because after searching the internet for the answer I'm more confused than ever about this.  I've read that 'the blanchers' should boil the beans for one minute, and I've also read that ten minutes is the thing.  Then I read that blanching is not necessary and the thing to do is freeze them individually on trays for a couple of hours before bagging them up and chucking 'em back in the freezer...the individual freezing apparently stops them freezing into one giant lump of bean! 

What do other people do??? I suspect opinion will be divided amongst the two camps - blanchers and non-blanchers! 

[mumofstig]

I blanch - for how long depends whether you want to do the cooking before you freeze or after.

I just blanch for 1 minute, and then finish the cooking when they're defrosted.

Some people do a longer blanch/cook, and then just heat them through to serve............... the choice is yours.

[Salmo]

So, when is the right stage to pick and freeze? Do I wait until the beans inside are spotty or is this too late?

[Mrs Bee]

I wait till they are reddish and spotty.

[Lulu]

Really useful thread to us newbies at bolottie beans.  Thank you for all the advice

[nannytroll]

Really useful thread to us newbies at bolottie beans.  Thank you for all the advice

Agree with that! my first time with Borlotti and I didn't really know what to do. 

[JayG]

I've never grown them but I am intrigued by the numerous spelling possibilities - at the moment 'Borlotto' and Borlotti' seem to be about joint favourites  , and both can be found on Gurgle, seemingly referring to the same variety. Strange.