Fortex Bean
Fortex Bean
Long, stringless green pods on prolific vines, support them well with a 6' trellis. Eat fresh as filet beans or allow to fill out for fresh eating or processing, the pods remain tender and stringless either way! Plant after last frost or by mid June for late summer/fall crop.
Direct seed 5cm deep, 10cm apart against 6 foot trellis. 8-16 days to germination, 65-75 days to maturity.
Certified organic in British Columbia. IOPA # 1606, 1105, 1920.
How to Save Bean Seed
Fast Facts
Latin: Phaseolus vulgaris, Phaseolus coccineus (runner beans), Vigna unguiculata spp. (Chinese red noodle bean)
Cross Pollination: WIll cross with beans of the same species
Isolation Distance: 10 feet
Minimum Population Size (variety maintenance): 5-10 plants
Minimum Population Size (genetic preservation): 20 plants
Planting Beans
Plant beans as you would for fresh eating, approximately 6-12” apart. Trellis climbing beans. Set aside some seed plants that will be left unpicked.
Seed Maturity
Allow bean pods to dry completely, then harvest either individual pods or cut entire plants and lay to dry on a tarp.
Seed Cleaning
Thresh the seeds by laying the entire dry seed stalks on a tarp and stomping and shuffling on the plants to crack open the pods and detach the seeds. It’s important that seeds are very dry at this stage to prevent them being crushed by the threshing process. Shake the threshed material through a screen, allowing the seeds to pass through and the larger debris to remain on the top. Then, winnow using wind or a fan, pouring seeds from one container to another while allowing the lighter chaff to blow away.
Get more bean growing tips and seed saving info at Seed Savers Exchange.