[shokkyy]

I'm already thinking about varieties for next year. This year I grew Alderman peas, which did ok but didn't give me a terribly big crop. I don't know if that was caused by soil, foul weather or the variety. Another tall variety I was thinking of trying is Telephone. Has anyone tried both varieties? If so, which did best for you?

And for climbing French beans, this year I grew Cobra and Blauhilde. Blauhilde was a much bigger and tougher plant. It went off the top of 8 foot canes, coped a lot better with the weather and gave a much bigger crop. In fact it's still going strong now. And I do prefer the straighter bean shape rather than the shrimp shaped ones. So I'll do those again next year but not Cobra. Another variety I was thinking of trying was Blue Lake. Anyone tried these? If so, how did they do for size, vigor and yield? Or any other suggested varieties for climbing French beans with nice big strong plants and good taste and yield?

[Totty]

I grew Alderman this year too, but had an excellent crop so see no need to change, may have a look at the others yo mentioned and grow them too though!

[grendel]

we did the cherokee climbing beans (from the real seed company) - great croppers, 30 odd lb in the freezers, we had telephone peas, - they managed 4 foot, when all the other peas managed a measly 18", and very bad crops this year - to be honest the weather and birds did for all our peas this year.
Grendel

[LilacSandy]

Had a cracking crop from my Blue Lake, they have half filled my small freezer and have only just finished cropping and they taste great. Next year I will put some more in later to carry on the cropping period and will cut down on the runners.

[shokkyy]

Had a cracking crop from my Blue Lake, they have half filled my small freezer and have only just finished cropping and they taste great. Next year I will put some more in later to carry on the cropping period and will cut down on the runners.

That's interesting. What shape are the beans on them? Are they straight and flat, like Blauhilde, or more of a rounded pencil shape?

"we did the cherokee climbing beans (from the real seed company) - great croppers, 30 odd lb in the freezers"

That's another variety I was looking at. I read that you can either eat the pod or the bean from them. Have you tried both, or just eating the pods?

[LilacSandy]

The beans are about 4 - 5" long and straight, very tender and and the kids liked them too.

[grendel]

Had a cracking crop from my Blue Lake, they have half filled my small freezer and have only just finished cropping and they taste great. Next year I will put some more in later to carry on the cropping period and will cut down on the runners.

That's interesting. What shape are the beans on them? Are they straight and flat, like Blauhilde, or more of a rounded pencil shape?

"we did the cherokee climbing beans (from the real seed company) - great croppers, 30 odd lb in the freezers"

That's another variety I was looking at. I read that you can either eat the pod or the bean from them. Have you tried both, or just eating the pods?

we just ate the whole thing really.
Grendel

[Buff Orpington]

Had a cracking crop from my Blue Lake, they have half filled my small freezer and have only just finished cropping and they taste great.

Blue Lake always used to be my favourite French bean, but for the last few years the seed I have sown (from various suppliers) has often not come true to type, and the atypical ones have been terrible, stringy from tiny. Also I find it less hardy in our windswept garden than Cobra or Blauhilde, so with reluctance I am going to stop growing it. If anyone knows a source of reliable seed, do let me know!

[Auntiemogs]

I grew Blue Lake this year and they were very nice and good croppers, but I have to say that they were completely overshadowed by the Cosse Violette (purple podded) which weren't at all stringy, even the ones I missed and tasted much nicer IMHO.

In terms of peas, I only tend to grow climbing mangetout as I am very limited for space and my favourite this year has been Bijou (giant mangetout).

M 

[mumofstig]

Also I find it less hardy in our windswept garden than Cobra or Blauhilde, so with reluctance I am going to stop growing it. If anyone knows a source of reliable seed, do let me know!

Local conditions seem to make so much difference, don't they?
I stopped growing Cobra because they just didn't grow well on my windswept plot, whereas Trionfo Violetto ( which I suspect is the same thing as Cosse Violette) do very well 

[Salmo]

I may be wrong but I think Cobra is an improved selection of Blue Lake.

[viettaclark]

I've grown Blue Lake for 2 years now and they crop very well with a very tasty rounded straight pod. I even managed to get some later ones in which are still giving me a few beans!
I bought Cobra to try this year but looking at the posts I think I'll plant both, just in case!

[shokkyy]

In the end I grew Alderman, Cosse Violette and Blauhilde. Both the French beans did fantastically well and gave me a huge crop, but once again I didn't get a good crop from the Alderman. Next year I think I'm going to try one of the standard height peas, Kelvedon or something early. They can have a whole 4 X 8ft bed to themselves, and if I can lift them fairly early I should be able to use the bed for something else afterward.

[rowan57]

I was very pleased with Blue Lake this year. I was lazy initially and didn't trellis them, just left them to scramble on the ground, harvested once, nearly broke my back, but got 2 full carrier bags in one harvest, still in the freezer now. Shall do again next year, but properly.

[pdblake]

I got some Telephone from Realseeds the year before last and they grew pretty well, very  tall. I used a trellis for them and got quite a decent crop from a handful of plants. Tried them again last year and this in buckets and nothing much at all from them. Looks like they prefer being in the ground.

So, a bit six of one and half a dozen of  the other really. I might try them again one year, now I've got a plot.