A wonderfully colourful bean with splashes of red all but covering the whitish pods. The beans are similarly ‘paint-splattered' with flecks of scarlet. High in iron and fibre and simply delicious, they are guaranteed to brighten up any meal and the key ingredient for the Venetian 'Pasta e Fagioli' dish. Borlotti beans freeze very well too.
Growing instructions:
To have a regular supply of beans throughout the summer, sow successionally at fortnightly intervals into well-prepared soil that is rich in organic matter. Plant seed 2-5cm deep and 8cm apart, in rows that are spaced at 30cm intervals. Thin seedlings as they grow so plants are 15-20cm apart, and once in flower, feed regularly with a high-potash fertiliser.
Flowering period:
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Eventual height:
1.8m
Eventual spread:
0.15m
Position:
Full sun / light shade
Rate of growth:
Fast-growing
Soil:
Moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil
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Humans/Pets: Raw pods/beans harmful if eaten