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Vegetable Gardening

saving seed of royalty purple pod beans

11 years ago

My beans have been sitting there all summer as I wait for them to dry out so I can get the seed. They're not drying. The plants themselves are completely brown and crispy but the pods are still firm and rubbery. Some pods have been chewed by bugs. The main harvest of these was back in early June.

My gardener friend told me to leave them "until they rattle" but they are not getting there. I have saved seed for some years from other types of beans and cowpeas but apparently these royalty purple pod do not dry out?

Any advice appreciated.

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Comments (3)

edweather USDA 9a, HZ 9, Sunset 28
11 years ago
Just a guess. You could probably pick them and dry them indoors if you are worried about something happening to them. I've saved peas before, and they did dry out on the vine.
planatus
11 years ago
I tried to do the same thing with Royalty purple bush beans a couple of years ago. They just kept hanging on, leathery, and I finally gave up. Like many bush beans, I think they have been selected so intensely for their holding power that they take forever to make seeds. I decided a packet of fresh seeds was a very good deal.
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OK. Maybe I've got it all wrong. When the pods (which are red--although this may vary-- I suppose) turn brown on the plant, they are full of small black seeds. Once the pod dries up and opens up one can collect the small seeds inside. What I don't have clear yet is...if these are not the seeds, then, which are the seeds? I have grown Castor beans for a couple of years and all I have seen is the red pods full of small black seeds. Wish I knew how to post a picture here to be more explicit. Now I am really confused--maybe that is why I can't germinate them--maybe they are not the seeds after all. Thanks so much for discussing this.
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Depends on how ripe they were. If the pods were already shriveling/leathery, particularly at the stem- stem is often going dry too and the little pixie cap of blossom long dry.. then sure. I've picked beans this way for seed with good results. If the beans weren't that far along yet.. still plumping in the pod and/or beans inside not set in color- then the seed viability can be questionable. Germination testing can answer if those seeds are good or not.
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vaherbmom
Original Author
11 years ago
thanks! -- I guess I will have to buy more seed. I wish I had not wasted that whole bed all summer waiting! I'll know better next time.

thank you!

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