Hey all, I am looking for a flat long italian green bean that is a pole variety. Does any one have it? I ahve heirloom tomatoes and tons of veggies and herbs to trade. List not updated yet this year, please e-mail me direct. Thanks Lisa/Liznbeatle

what is your soil type.. in my sand.. i have been known to literally jump on the soil to set it.. wetting it into a slurry.. and creating a nearly cement-like consistency .. which a week later.. is back to being sand that drains well .. if i had clay.. that would create a nightmare ... you said 15 gallon pots were not rootbound .. how far into that root mass did you look??? just the surface??? if you used the search in GW .. you would find hundreds of posts.. wherein this plant is slandered no end.. and this is one of its endemic problems ... bboy addressed such ... i do not know if you should rip them out.. no pic upon which to make a suggestion ... and in my world.. giant stakes will not help the view.. besides the fact.. that if it is a root ball issue.. you can stake them for a decade.. and the day after you take off the stakes.. since the plant will be 2 or 3 times larger.. they may fail again ... my gut says ... if you must use this plant.. start much smaller ... they grow like weeds anyway in your area ... bare root them.. INSURE proper roots .. plant properly.. and a smaller plant will cope with wind and grow into a strong tree ... even better.. have us recommend something better.. [though my experience in z5 MI .. isnt going to be useless to you.. lol ...] its when we have a certain level of instant gratification needs .. that the problems really start ... and i am going to guess.. you wanted a fast sight block .... and in trying to accomplish such.. you were fast to develop fast problems ... pix??? ken

It is finally dry enough to plant this year's beans, and I have mislaid the seed packs I so carefully bought in March! Does anyone have any spare Roma/Italian pole bean seeds? I do have Kentucky Wonder, Asparagus (yard-long) Beans, *Sicilian Chiclet Beans, *Insuk's Wang Kong Runner Beans, and Vlad's purple-podded beans, but I am sadly lacking Romas. And wax beans, if anyone has those. I'd be happy to trade Sicilian Chiclet Beans or Insuk's Wang Kong Runner Beans for some... Lynn

Happy, no he didn't give me a name. The funny thing is I've known this fellow for years, he worked at the same mill as my DH. He specializes in Dahlia, Glads and Chrysanthemums, the subject of beans has never come up. I was at a local plant sale and several people were wanting to talk to him so didn't want to hold him up. If I've got the story right his grandfather came here in 1908, his wife and aunt followed in 1911 bringing these beans with them. His grandparents lived on the same street as I do now only in the first block, I'm in the last block, same street about a mile and a half away down the road. This italian bean was passed around the neighborhood and finally in 1965 a neighbor gave them to me. I've got my fingers crossed, as soon as mine are ready to pick I'll take him some of the beans plus some seed hopefully confirming it is the same bean. when I was given the seed in 65 I was told they came here in or around 1910 the rest of the story that was told me I think was incorrect if this is the same bean. If they are the same I'll resurrect this thread when or if I have more information. Annette