Most yardlongs do well here, although I need to start the pole varieties in pots to get good results & harvest dry seed. There are quite a few varieties floating around, with pods that are many shades of green, reddish purple, or combinations of green & red. The photo below shows 4 varieties that I grew in 2010: This is an example of some of the diversity available. From top down: "Yancheng Bush", from a GW swap; a black-seeded variety originally from Jungs (given to me, name lost); "Chinese Red Noodle" (from Baker Creek); and "Galante", a variety from the Philippines. Although I prefer the pole varieties, I've come to appreciate the rapid maturity of the bush variety. Haven't really had trouble with aphids here, except early in the season... my beneficial insect population generally wipes them out about mid-summer most years. The exceptions are when the ant population is high; they "farm" aphids & spread them rapidly. If I wipe out the ant nest(s), predators take care of the aphids. Yardlongs (like cowpeas, to which they are related) will attract beneficial insects when they begin to bloom. Ladybugs & wasps will frequent the vines... it's one of the best ways I know to keep adult ladybugs in the garden. The wasps are not much of a problem, the nectar seems to pacify them. But ants can be attracted to the extra-floral nectaries located below the flowers, and these will defend the tops of the pods aggressively. Black ants are only a minor nuisance, but I've had carpenter ants on the vines a few years, and they bite. I concur with those recommending a tall trellis. The bean trellises I use are 6 & 1/2 feet tall, supported by T-posts, and the vines will easily take that & more. They might need some encouragement to get started, though; "Red Noodle" can be particularly stubborn in that regard. If you want to use a shorter support, crowd them closely & it will stunt the vines. You can grow them without support, but the long pods will trail on the ground, and bugs/snails tend to bite holes in them. The black-seeded yardlong on a tall trellis Tracydr's comment about watering is a good one. The pods will indeed get spongy quickly if conditions are dry, especially in hot weather. With a heavy mulch & frequent deep watering, the pods stay succulent to a larger diameter. Last year we had record summer rainfall here, and while my pole beans languished in the mud, the yardlongs thrived - my best year ever. Don't spare the water! "Chinese Red Noodle" is one of the best varieties I've tried for flavor, and is firmer cooked than some of the others. It is also a heat lover, so it does well in the South. When cooked, it turns grayish; but a dash of vinegar restores the deep burgundy color. The wife usually uses yardlongs in stir fry or soups. We also eat them as a vegetable, lightly cooked & seasoned with vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic powder. "Red Noodle" is outstanding eaten that way, really eye catching. You can blanch & freeze yardlongs just like green beans; but because the pods are fairly dry, they are very susceptible to freezer burn, and deteriorate quickly. I've had good results, though, if I vacuum sealed the beans immediately after freezing.

AdrianaG, Your description of your bean structure sounds interesting. I'd also like to see a picture if you have one. My pole beans were planted next to bamboo poles that were quite tall, but since the plants had nothing else to cling to, I ended up winding each plant around its own pole - not a very good idea as many of the beans ended up threading themselves around the "maypole", making it hard to harvest, besides the beans would end up misshapen, too. We were thinking of doing what you did, but are kind of afraid of the next step. Seeing your structure would give us courage . . .

I forgot to add to the ingredients that I use chili paste, you can substitute for hot sauce or red pepper flakes, to taste and this ingredient is optional. Some people like it hot, others not. WT Your recipe sounds good too. Bon Appetit! Tom I have not tried the purple yard long beans yet. The red and the green that I have, I picked them when still thin, if you can see the seed it is too late. You can still peeled them and cook the seed or save it. I throw out the rest. Now when I start cooking I heat the pan first to hot, the highest setting on mine is 9, then I quickly add the oil and beans together with the garlic. I test that is hot putting my hand close to the pan and feeling the heat. So far, from all the people that I am sharing the beans with (they all loved them!) First time eaters of these beans, and they are not oriental :) Actually, Tom they are a lot like you.lol My neighbor is learning how to cook and he even lost weight as a bonus. We even shared desserts and homemade bread with them sometimes. I said to him "remember the book, one thousand places to see before you died?" Well. you are going to sample one thousand different foods.lol He did not say a word on the gourd that I gave him .lol Bihai I hope that you get to eat your yard long beans. I don't have the deer problem, so I am no expert. But I have seen in organic catalogs something to repel deer. Maybe you should try that. I used to see them, when I lived in Mass, they sure like some plants more than others. Silvia

diclemeg, This year I am growing the "Orient Wonder" yard long. I totally love the taste. They have a 'nutty, bean' flavour. They are more chewy than pole beans. Most of the recipes state that they should not be boiled but stir fried. I have boiled them and they were OK but not great. I stir fry them in olive oil or canola oil and they taste great. Tender - no strings. I grew Chinese Red Noodle and Liana last year --- it was my first year and I picked them too soon. This year I picked them when they were almost the thickness of a pencil -- much better flavour and texture. They are prolific and mine are still producing. The "yard long" name is not accurate - in most cases. They should be picked when they are about 18-20 inches long. In my garden the ants love the vines but do not seem to do any harm to the vines. There are no aphids on my plants so I do not know what the ants are doing. The vines grew to over 10 feet this year. It is a fun plant to grow. DL