BEAN - BLAUHILDE

 Organic French Climbing Bean Blauhilde

    10 Seeds Pack    

The Blauhilde variety, believed to have originated in Germany and dating back to the 1800s, is a striking and productive climbing French bean. This vigorous plant can easily reach heights of 2.5 meters (over 8 feet) and requires sturdy support from the moment the seedlings emerge.

Blauhilde is best known for its stunning deep-purple pods, which conceal vibrant green flesh inside. When cooked, the pods transform from purple to green, adding a touch of magic to your meals. The pods are impressively long, reaching up to 25 cm (10 inches), and are stringless even if allowed to over-ripen. However, for the best flavor and texture, it’s recommended to harvest the pods when they are young, at around 10–12 cm (4–5 inches), before the bean seeds inside become visible. Left to mature fully, the pods will double in size and may develop a slight stringiness.

This variety is a prolific producer, taking approximately 55–67 days from germination to the first harvest. The more frequently you pick the pods, the more the plant will reward you with continuous yields throughout the growing season. Blauhilde is also an excellent choice for preserving, as the beans freeze well, retaining their quality and flavour for later use. With its vibrant appearance, delicious taste, and reliable productivity, Blauhilde is a favourite among gardeners seeking a high-performing heirloom climbing bean.

PLANTING & GROWING

Soaking needs to be done at least a few hours before planting, and preferably overnight. To prevent damping off when starting seeds indoors, it’s essential that you disinfect all of your plastic grow trays, seed cells, and seedling tray covers before you reuse them. 

French Climbing Bean can be grown against a trellis, up netting or up canes set 100cm (3ft) apart. They can be interplanted with peas or runner beans. They are an excellent variety to grow in cold greenhouse or polytunnel.

Also can be grown in pots. Choose pots at least 45cm (18in) in diameter and make sure there are plenty of drainage holes. Fill with a mixture of equal parts loam-based compost and loam-free compost. 

Seeds germinate best at 18 to 25°C  and prefer pH in the 6.0 - 6.8 range. As with all crop families, rotation is recommended. Beans and others in the Fabaceae family should be grown in the same area only once in three years . Beans capture nitrogen from the air, so make sure the soil contains the other essential ingredients, phosphorus and potassium.

Water the plants frequently especially as the seed pods are setting and swelling. Remove any leaves that might show signs of yellowing. 

Climbing beans require little effort to produce good yields of pods. Matures in 60 days.

Pick daily, early in the morning for the best flavour, they are best picked often and before you can see the bean seed shape inside.

Beans, peas and tomatoes are self-pollinating and do not need bees for fruit production. Their flowers have all the needed reproductive parts and can transfer and accept their own pollen for the development of their edible fruits. You may notice bees and other insects visiting their flowers, collecting nectar and spreading pollen as they fly between other flowering plants in the landscape.

While green beans thrive alongside many herbs and vegetables, some plants make poor companions. Broccoli can struggle with the extra nitrogen beans add to the soil. Garlic and onions can stunt bean growth, while peppers might get crowded out by vigorous beans. Sunflowers are especially incompatible, as they compete for nutrients and release chemicals that inhibit bean growth.