The red podded yardlongs have a firm texture, and somewhat of a nutty flavor. They mature later than some of the green-podded types (especially those with black seeds), and seem to prefer more heat than many of the green-podded varieties. The yield is good, but slightly less than the black-seeded varieties below. I enjoy them in part because they keep their burgundy color when cooked. There is wide variation in green-podded varieties. The black-seeded ones I've tried are generally earlier, more tolerant of cool weather, bear heavily, and have tender (even delicate) pods. One of the black-seeded varieties (with dark green pods & purple tips) has the strongest flavor of those that I've tasted; it goes by several names, including Asparagus Bean and Liana. Green-podded / red-seeded varieties seem to benefit from longer seasons, be firmer & often sweeter as a rule, have very long pods, and yields ranging from medium to somewhat heavy. Pods can be anywhere from very light green to deep green. There are many more discussions of yardlong beans on both the Bean Forum, and the Asian Vegetable Forum.

"Chinese Red Noodle" is one of the best-tasting yardlongs that I have grown... plus, it is very attractive. Unlike purple snap beans, the purple-red color is _not_ lost in cooking. The pods are a little shorter than most yardlongs. They have a firm texture when cooked. However, the vines seem to need more heat than most of those that I have grown, which unless you are a coastal Zone 7, should not be a problem. It freezes well. "Taiwan Black" was extremely vigorous, bore early & heavily, and had impressively long pods... many actually becoming "yard long" when mature. At harvest stage, they are very light green, slender, and got second looks by everyone who saw them. But I was not impressed by its flavor, which was very mild in comparison with other yardlongs. The pods also developed fiber very quickly, so they needed to be harvested very young (when they were "only" 24" long!), on a daily basis during warm weather. "Liana" is heavy-bearing, and very early. The pods are dark green, and have the true "asparagus bean" flavor when cooked lightly (as all yardlongs should be). This is probably the easiest & most reliable yardlong. My other favorites are either heirlooms, or foreign commercial varieties... all from the Philippines. One of these is a purple-podded variety with slender pods nearly as long as "Taiwan Black". I grew it when I lived in San Diego, and it is my all-time favorite for flavor... it was even crunchy, sweet, & nut-like raw. But it is also tropical & daylength-sensitive, so it can only be grown in a few areas of the U.S. Unfortunately, Wisconsin is not one of them. :-( I'm still looking for a tropical grower to keep the seed alive for me. Two commercial varieties from the Philippines did surprisingly well here in Wisconsin, given their tropical origins (many tropical varieties are daylength-sensitive). "Galante" and "Sierra Madre" are both mid-season DTM, and are described in much greater detail (including photos) in the link below. They have many good qualities, and it would not surprise me if one or both of them becomes a commercial variety here. Here is a link that might be useful: Asparagus Beans

Baker's seeds - www.rareseeds.com - has a good supply of long beans, and there I got the best one I have grown yet - chinese red noodle bean, which grew over 2 feet long, stayed maroon in color, even after cooking, was VERY productive, continued until it got cold, and the beans didn't get hollow quickly, as some green long beans have done with me. I only had to pick it ever 3 or 4 days, in fact, while some beans would get stringy and beany in that time. Great bean, and I will definitely be growing more next year. I grow it on a 6' reinforcement wire fence, and it grows to the top, and several feet along the top. Dave

Long beans AKA yardlongs, asparagus beans respond to different conditions than bean (P, vulgaris). They are a subspecies of cowpea and have very low nutrient requirements. It is possible that that you have over done the nutrients. They are also susceptible to root diseases. Aphids also can do a number on the Vigna unguiculata group including the transmission of viruses.