Fort Portal Jade

[jayb]

A new one for me this year and I'm not sure how well they might do but, I fell for the their seed colour! Fort Portal Jade a bush possibly half runner type, dry bean







Only recently sown in a pot, depending on the weather they might go in the garden or poly tunnel.

[Galina]

Just wondering whether you have also sown the Slovenian Yellow I sent you. The seeds are very similar, wonder whether the plants might be too. Slovenian Yellow is very good as a fresh bean too, but starts cropping in September, so a very good follow-on bean. Wonder how they compare if you are growing both and keen to see how these progress.

[jayb]

Yes I've sown your Slovenian Yellow and some other beans also called Slovenian Yellow, though they are slightly larger seeded, I have those from two sources and one looks to have some off types amongst them. I've also sown Siva, below is a picture of them together. The colour on of Siva (larger of the brown looking seeds) and your seeds have browned somewhat, so not that helpful on colour but shows the size and seed shapes,

[Galina]

Oh you've got the whole set of similar looking beans. These actual yellow bean seeds are very unusual. This will be interesting.

[Galina]

Forgot to say, my 'Slovenian Yellow' have yellow pods with a beautiful apricot hue on the older pods. My OS is Jaap Vlaming who got them from Slovenia, grew them in The Netherlands (Texel Island) and gave me some seeds from his harvest He called them either Slovenian Yellow or 'Slovense Gele Stockslaboon' which is Slovenian Yellow Climbing French Bean.

[jayb]

They sound delightful, I'll make a note on the envelope thanks

[jayb]

I hope so, I've started them a bit late, fingers crossed. I do love the greeny, grey and yellowy colours
I'm just growing a little teepee of each so I have seeds left over for next year if needed.

I've seen a gorgeous bluey variety too but they are a bit pricey and my birthday is ages away, maybe they will still have some in stock for next year!

[Galina]

I think as our forum queen you also need an 'official' birthday in addition to your actual birthday. And that should coincide with seed purchasing dates

[Jang]

I’m wondering whether Slovenian Yellow (either of the two types apparently in circulation) is different from Oude Sloveense Boterboon. I grew OSB this year and liked it very much but don’t think it had the delicious sounding yellow/apricot pods, so I guess it’s a different Slovenian variety with yellow seeds.

[jayb]

What a lovely idea

I've still got my eye on them...

[jayb]

Well these little beans are the first ones to start flowering and setting Flowers are white, will try and grab a picture later.

The next to flower will be Purple Amazon, another new to me one, exciting!

[jayb]

Fort Portal Jade, are so far are showing an impressive amount of flowers which have started really low down, almost a shame they are a drying variety.



Beans seem to be setting well


Focus isn't good in this picture, but gives an idea of flower spacing.

[Jang]

I just ordered Fort Portal Jade from Baker Creek - your source too I think - attracted like you by the wonderful colour. Then I chanced uponevthis thread.
I wonder how yours cropped in the end last season. Were they as productive as they promised to be from your August 2017 photo?

[jayb]

Hi Jang, sorry to be so late answering, from what I remember yes they did well. Quite short, more of a semi runner, bean seeds were gorgeous. I'm guessing you have now grown them too, how did they do for you?

[Jang]

My turn to be late replying! My FPJ did rather badly. I had poor germination and re- sowed indoors a couple of times. The two or three I managed to germinate didn’t prosper and so I have only a very small handful of seed. Interestingly I read on another forum that someone else had had poor germination this year or maybe last year from Baker Creek seed of FPJ. I’ll try growing next year from the few seeds I gathered and hope for better results.

[Galina]

Normally their seeds are good. But any seeds that went through routine customs x-rays and varying conditions during transport are more at risk of this sort of thing than seeds without an international transport route. And many many varieties need serious adaptation before they will shine. Having a small handful of seeds sounds like a success story rather than a disappointment. Wish you much better luck.

[jayb]

A shame they didn't do better, I haven't grown them since so only have the one year's experience. I'm with Galina having bean seeds to save when only a couple of plants grew is a success.

I'm hoping to grow some next season too from my saved seeds (2017) and have spares should you need any, or anyone else interested in trying them. (just pop me a pm.)

[jayb]

I've read in a couple of places that there are some debates as to whether they are climbers or bush beans. Mine were on the 1/2 runner size. There seem to be some thoughts that two types are circulating, one climber originating from Richters Seeds. Though I believe these, in turn, came from Joseph Simcox, who also supplied Baker Creek seeds with their original seed too. But BC seeds are supposedly more a bush bean.

[jayb]

It seems a common comment.

[Galina]

It is listed as a bush bean in Bohnenatlas too. Not even as a Reiserbohne (which is the German word for a half tall bean)

[jayb]

Yes, mixed feedback. Mostly short growing, but a few like https://www.annapolisseeds.com/product-p/607.htm lists it as a climber

[jayb]

I took pictures yesterday of seeds from 2017 harvest,