Pjames- After reading the Insuk's WK thread, I gathered the IWK bean grows faster and will still set beans even in very hot weather. Also the beans inside the pods are beautiful colors, there is a link to that thread in the first post of this thread.

lisetn
I'm the original source of these beans that were named after my wife. E-mail me your address and I'll send you some. By the way what part of Tn do you live in?
Jim

Thank you Jim! Would you like me to send a SASE?
I live about 30 minutes north of Nashville. I'm very much looking forward to growing your beans. I showed my 8yr old daughter the pictures of the dried beans, she said they look like jewels. Thanks again Jim.

Lise

Jim kindly sent me some seeds as well. They are growing super fast! I've never grown a runner before.

Question: I have two other beans in my garden. Will they cross pollinate? They are only 10 feet apart.

"Insuk's Wang Kong" is a runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus), and will not cross with common beans, which are P. vulgaris. It's possible the other two beans could cross with each other.

My daughter wants to grow some in a pot. How many seeds could be planted in a 5 gallon pot, or is that too small?

hemnancy
We've often grown them in 12-14 inch pots for the flowers that we placed along the driveway. We harvested beans from them as well.
Jim

I've already put regular Scarlett Runners in -- in a spot that gets morning sun and afternoon shade.

I haven't grown them since I lived in New England and didn't realize they didn't like heat.

May I please have a few seeds as well to try here in the steamy southeast?

killer
Send me your address and I can let you have a few. Depending where your at in the Southeast you may want to wait until late summer and plant for a late Fall harvest.
Jim

Jim, your generosity is much appreciated.

Mine arrived today. They are 1/3 bigger than the regular scarlett runners I have. Such a pretty color too.

I planted my IWK this weekend, about 40 of them on a 20 foot row. Looking forward to seeing how they do here in Omaha.

Thanks again Jim!

I put a test batch of these in the ground today -- filling in the holes on the trellis where cucumbers hadn't germinated.

I have been reading about this runner bean and would really love to try growing it. Does anyone have a few extra seeds I could try? I would greatly appreciate it.

Penny

In a stark contrast to the Scarlett Runner beans I had where only 1 bean has germinated out of 2 plantings, the Insuk beans are leaping out of the ground and reaching for their trellis. I planted some each from the newer and older seed and I believe that I have 100% germination.

Now to figure out a means of adding height to the cucumber fence in the spots where I have these beans. Maybe weaving slim poles into the wire so they extend above it to a sufficient height?

Well, it's been just about 2 weeks since I put the IWK's in the ground and when I looked this morning Most of them had jumped up to about 6 inches tall. Out of 42 I've got 31 up, and the rest probably just haven't come up over the straw yet.

Just hoping the rabbits don't get into them now.

I planted mine, courtesy of Jim, in late March. My vines are now about 4 feet tall and full of blooms. No beans yet. When can I expect some? I reserved some for fall planting in case our heat out-does them before they produce.

Does anyone know what the usual maturity time span is? Or detrimental day/night time temps are?

TIA

Tammy

Jim,
I've read about these beans for too long now! I'm going to have to ask for some : ) I don't know if you have any now or if you will in the fall. Fall is fine since I've already started all my beans.
I'll email you,
Remy

I have a row 100 ft long in the garden that are covered in gorgeous scarlet blooms. The beans are already 6 inches long.

Southern growers should be aware that while these beans do better than regular scarlet runners, they do not tolerate the normal intense summer heat we get. I am hoping to get a seed crop before we get too hot for them. These beans should be planted up to a month before the last frost to produce a crop.

DarJones

Tammy, I planted my King beans (IWK) early October, and I just harvested my first green pods today (almost 7 months later). I think this is abnormally long and something weird happened in the middle. The sprouted and grew fine, and then they simply stopped growth at about 3 feet, looked pretty bad but were still hanging in there. After the spring equinox they took off, and now they are covered in scarlet flowers and climbed the whole trellis (8 feet) so i will have to harvest with a ladder (silly me).

Cabrita
We usually plant in April and Harvest in August/September.Oh by the way 8ft seem pretty short,ours usually grow 12-15 ft.
Jim

Jim, I do not think the climate in Southern California is the best for red scarlet runners, so I am happy that they are doing much better now, 8 feet is fine with me! (they were 'stuck' at 3 feet for the longest time...)

I think they will be a great 'in between' bean. We are harvesting them now when the peas are almost over (still a couple of vines but winding down) and the regular beans (P. vulgaris) are just starting to flower. This is great, since the IWK will allow us to stay 'in beans' pretty much all the time. Who knows, they might pod again in the fall while we are waiting for the new peas.

Since they are perennial I do not need to worry about planting them again, unless I want to save seeds from this one crop and build another trellis somewhere else. If I do I will plant in early spring.

I had never tasted these before so I wanted to describe our experience, and of course I have questions on how everybody else is cooking them. I picked a handful of pods that were larger than any P vulgaris I have experienced. One of them I could feel the beans inside. When I trimmed them, I noticed they were relatively free of 'strings' except for the more mature specimen with the immature bean seeds inside. I steamed them with some potatoes and carrots we also grew. Normally, I would add beans later to the steam pot since most beans would be done sooner than the carrots or potatoes. These on the contrary could have used a little longer steaming time, so next time I will put them in the pot first. They have a rougher outside texture when raw. It did take us a little while to get used to the taste of the fresh steamed pods, and I have to say the flavor 'grew' on us as we were eating them. My partner said perhaps they would be better picked even smaller, is this so? Also, I have seen mention of grilling them? how would one do that? pre-steam and finish on the grill? What about pickling them? has anyone pickled them? Last question, how well do they freeze?

Hi all--We have had a cool spring, and unlike last year, the IWK took some time sprouting in the garden. Just today, they have popped out of the ground. I know they will grow like gangbusters now, if last year's results duplicate. They have such pretty blossoms, the hummingbirds and I can't wait!

The fact that you can actually eat them is a bonus!

Yes, hummingbirds! mine are being visited by them already, just the color that hummingbirds like, isn't? An unexpected bonus...(I am in it mostly for the food he he)

I planted some of these beans to fill in where some cucumbers didn't germinate. They're very happy in my lousy soil and have flowered despite the blistering heat.

{{gwi:69491}}

Jim just sent me some of these, and MY they are huge!

One of them is pure black... wonder if I could isolate that... :D

These beans are a population that produces 3 colors of seed. There is a pure black, a pure white, and a 'painted' bean with purple and black markings. You can plant just the black beans and from what I have seen, they will produce true to that color.

DarJones

I realize this thread has been quite dormant - I wonder if anyone on this thread or Jim could possibly send me some seeds? I would love to have them. My little boy would love to plant these and watch them grow. Thank you!

Zatil
You should have your Beans,along with a handfull of Adapazari Squash seeds, by now. Enjoy

Jim

Jim,
Thanks for the seeds! I really appreciate your generosity. :) I am excited to plant but will have to wait, I'm thinking mid-July. Maybe a little earlier but that might be iffy, we get pretty hot in July/Aug.

Has anyone in my area tried (San Jose, CA) Insuk's Wang Kong? I'm kinda thinking it might be more successful in the spring since summer gets so hot.

In the previous thread someone mentioned trying them in Hawaii, I was wondering how that went? I want to send some to my mom on Oahu if they did ok. :)

Hi Jim,
Thanks again for the seeds! I ended up accelerating building up my next raised boxes I planned just so I could plant some of that squash :)

Has anyone overwintered the IWK plant here in the USA, like poster on IWK1 did in UK?
jwr6404, I would like some of your seeds beans, if you have a few to spare.

Just an update. I grew "Insuk's" this year to replenish my old seed stocks. As it turns out, it was a good year to do so. Because of our abnormally cool & wet summer, pod set began much earlier than usual... I normally don't get many runner bean pods before the first cool snap of August. The vines are loaded, and the pods are also longer than usual. I've been snacking on the raw pods, and expect to harvest several pounds of dry seed.

{{gwi:103234}}

The hummingbirds were feeding on the flowers almost as soon as they began, once only a few feet from my head.

This post was edited by zeedman on Sun, Aug 3, 14 at 23:09

As far as overwintering, my daughter who lives in San Francisco has them coming up in the same planter every year, they have been doing that for around 5 years.

jolj
PM me your address and I'll send you all the IWK beans you want or need. Sorry I was so late in responding

Jim

Jim, I have been enchanted reading about your IWK beans. Used to grow "regular" scarlet runner beans every year and did have the experience that others have reported of sometimes having them to overwinter successfully - even with 10-degree winters.
Could you possibly share a few?
I have other nice bean (and many other) seeds which I would be happy to share, including three kinds of Chinese long beans, which have been my surprise success story of the year.

suegardener

I sent you a PM but am not confident you received it. Just finished harvesting this years IWK. If your still interested PM me your address and I will send you all you want/need. I will also toss in some Adapazari Squash seeds, you can read about them on the GardenWeb Heirloom Forum. There is no cost for beans or postage.
Jim

Hi Jim,

I was asked to contact you because you had given some of your bean seeds to a man named Joseph many years ago. He lost them!

This is the email she wanted me to share with you.

I apologize for having this email sent through Lisa, My name is Ella and most folks know me as Starlight1153, Star for short.

I was discussing the Scarlet Runner beans with a friend Joseph, who grows Landraces. I was trying to find information of how promiscuously they would cross. Joseph mention several cultivars of the runner beans that he grew. At one time he had tried your beans but I don't think it made it in his area.

What I would like to know is if you still happen to have a few of the Insuck's Wang beans available? I am not a fly-by nighter person. Lisa, Patrob, Poisondart, Erica, Promise and several other folks from GW know me and can vouch for me.

I grow historics, heirlooms and am into preserving some of the old cultivars for future generations. Nothing more disheartening than discovering a new seed only to find out it has gone extinct or is no longer available. Besides trying to preserve and keep some lines pure, I do as I find the time breeding projects with the old heirlooms.

It is interesting to see what genetics show from the crossing of the older heirlooms.

If you do happen to have a few seeds, I would be glad to purchase them from you and pay for postage. I'll also be glad to update you on progess of the seed from down here in AL.

Lisa/Star

My rate and reviews here on the garden web, just so you know I am not a crazy lady.....lol http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/raterev/msg0221433014337.html

This post was edited by ishareflowers on Fri, Jan 23, 15 at 7:03

Lisa/Star
PM me your address and I'll send you all the beans you want
Jim

Daboss, you do not have an email listed.

This post was edited by ishareflowers on Fri, Jan 23, 15 at 16:08

Daboss, Thank you for responding!

I don't see an email address listed on your garden web page. Maybe you could email me ishareflowers@aol.com.

If you can not email me please post your email address so I can contact you.

Thanks again
Lisa

This post was edited by ishareflowers on Fri, Jan 23, 15 at 17:57

The "Insuk's" that I grow deviates from Jim's, in that I have eliminated the white-seeded aspect that was originally present in the seed he sent me. If that is not an issue, I have plenty of 2014 seed & would be happy to send you some. You can contact me via the link on my member page.

You can also purchase seed from Sand Hill Preseservation.

As an aside, I am not sure if "Insuk's Wang Kong" is any more promiscuous than runner beans in general. My own experience tends to support Fusion's assertion earlier in this thread, that the cultivar is more of a mixture than a genetically diverse land race. Had this been a true land race, it should not have been as easy as it was to eliminate the white-seeded genetics.

Runner beans cross so much that I only grow one per year in complete isolation. - Dick

Zeedman, I sent you an email through GW, I don't think it went through though. I hit the send a copy to my email and it has not come to my inbox.

If it wouldn't be too much trouble could you email me ishareflowers@aol.com?

Ishareflowers
Did you receive my e-mail requesting your address so I could send you some beans?
Jim

Jim,

I Just checked my spam and there you were!

I have emailed you back with my address . If you send me yours, I would be more than happy to cover postage.

Star will be thrilled! I'm very excited to try out a few as well.

Thanks so much!
Lisa/ishare

Zeedman, Thank you for the offer but I think I will be all set now :)

I just cubits mailed Star and told her I got in touch with you .This was her response.

Yippee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and a Yahoooooooooooie too!!!!!!!!!!! I'm excited. Really excited. Bless his heart. Will you please tell him Thank you for me. Let him know that I will be honored to grow his beans and will share the seed produced with others like me who are out to grow and preserve the heirlooms. Nothing puts a smile on my face more than an heirloom. I'm just tickled pink inside and out. Ya just don't know.

This post was edited by ishareflowers on Sun, Jan 25, 15 at 18:59

"Runner beans cross so much that I only grow one per year in complete isolation. - Dick"

I didn't mean to imply that runner beans don't cross, because they do... but as far as I can tell, "Insuk's" is no more promiscuous than any other runner bean.

Ishareflowers, your suspicion was correct, your email did not get through. My offer stands, should you find that you need them.

I don't want to impede on anyone's generosity, but I would love to have a few of these beans! I've always wanted to try runner beans, but I live in Texas and I know runners typically don't like heat AT ALL. I noticed someone said these beans will set even in the heat. I would love to try them here in Dallas. I have some mammoth melting snow peas, green arrow peas, speckled cranberry beans, and black beluga lentils I can trade. I know the email system is apparently wonky with the transfer to houzz. You can email me directly at gardencat999@gmail.com - it's where the email would go anyway.

I also just read through part 1 of this thread, and I learned a LOT about runners! And I just want to say: I know a few people are thinking of leaving this site because of the change, and I really hope you all do not leave. Your information and comments are invaluable to this site. I know I've never commented before, but I wanted you to know I've learned a lot from you and hope to learn a lot more.

Sorry to get sappy on you - I had to say it!

Aly

Hi, I'm in California and I grow runner beans. Never heard of this one before. My email is howconnie@gmail.com I would like to try them out.

Hi to all. This is Michigandergardener. My Houzz name and new Gardenweb name changed. I have been following this post for a while now and am enthralled by this runner bean. It is so beautiful! I would absolutely love to grow it out and save seed. If anyone has any to spare, I will send a SASE or I will trade some heirloom tomato seeds . Send me a message and I will tell you what I have. Thank you!

Ginny