PROOFING BEAN SEED 2016

It has been since May 21, 2015 that I last posted.  We didn't have a garden the last two years.  There were several reasons.  The main one was we had a "hoard" of ground hogs move in.  They were extremely smart and thwarted all our methods to capture them.  We have a dog which has helped dispatch a couple of them and are hoping this will give us a window in time to garden.

First up for gardening is proofing all the old seeds.  We want to see if we need to order new replacements or if we will be able to use what we have.  Here are two blogs on the subject:

Proofing from another year
http://organicinstlouis.blogspot.com/2013/02/proofing-seeds.html

Blog about our favorite bean.  We are worried this year we won't have viable seed.
http://organicinstlouis.blogspot.com/2011/09/searching-for-spartan-arrow-green-beans.html

My excitement for gardening was rewarded when I checked the incubator on the 27th to see if the beans were showing any sign of germination.  WOW....not only were the seeds germinating, but they were all ready at 60 -80 percent germination.  Yesterday this was the results.  I am so pleased.

BEANS AND PEAS  FEBRUARY 24, 2016 PROOFED

“R”   SPARTAN ARROW BUSH BEAN 2010  RISPENS SEEDS (PR 10) 2/28 (10)

“RA” 2012 ORGANIC FROM US, OP 2012 (PR 10) 2/28 (10)

“RB”   “         “                        “                “      (PR 10) 2/28(10)

“RC” 2010 OUT OF 3 LB BAG  (PR 10) 2/28(10)

“Z” JADE GREEN BUSH BEAN PINETREE 2010 
        (PR 10) 2/28 (1) (ROTTED) TRASHED

“E” PEAS DWARF GRAY SUGAR 2008 100%, 2010 100%, (PR 10) 2/28/16 (8)

“A” SUGAR SNAP PEA 2013 GURNEYS (PR 10) 2/28 (9)

“J” GARDEN PEA 2010 SHUMWAY (PR 10) 2/28 (8)

“D” SUPER SUGAR SNAP PINETREE 2010 (PR 10) 2/28 (8)

The proofing of seeds tells me a couple of things:  

One my storage of them must have been optimum (the seed is very old for bean seed)

Some sources say 3 years and some say 5 years).

The seed quality from the producers are very good.

The proofing of seeds also tells you how long each variety will take to sprout in the
garden.  Remember you have to take in to account the temperatures and the weather.  

When proofing you may get 100% germination but the outside planting conditions 
may inhibit the germination of the seed.  

Googled and found the following info on germination times:

Propagate by seed - Do not start seeds inside. Beans do not like to be transplanted. Germination temperature: 70 F to 80 F - Germination is slow 

and poor when soil temperatures are below 60 F. 

Days to emergence: 8 to 10 -

Germination may take two weeks or more if soil temperatures are below 60 F.

From Cornell edu 

Take time to test your seeds and possibly save some money because you won't have to buy new.  

Off to proof some tomato and pepper seeds.

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All recipes, pictures, and writings are my own.

I give credit for items which belong to other people in my blogs .

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SPARTAN ARROW BUSH BEANS

I have noticed I have quite a few people interested in these beans.  When or should I say if we plant them I will be updating this blog with information.  (The reason I say if, is winter seems to be hanging on interminably.  We haven't even been able to get in to pull weeds.  The ground is frozen 2 inches down and on the top is muck.)

 

If in our searches we find a source of the seed we will put the information here.  Please book mark this page if you are interested.  Information will be added with color coding.  The date will be at the top of this page and each new addition will be added to the bottom of the article.

 

Thank you for reading.

 

I have added new blogs on my site about Peppers, Eggplants, Tomatoes and Broccolli.

 

For more blogs by me, visit at:

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com

A blog mostly about quilting,
cooking, poetry, prose and a little gardening,
New blog, tutorial on how to make 5 panel Boxer Shorts.
New Blog about dolls.

http://glosgarden.blogspot.com/
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There are articles which have nothing to do
with creating or gardening.
There are blogs on the new born baby kittens
we found and mothered.
It is a blog where I voice my opinions which will always be environmentally friendly.

As always, any pictures or writings are my own.

Credit has been given to contributions not my own.
Please do not use without permission.

SPARTAN ARROW BEANS

This row of beans is not Spartan Arrow beans.  It is probably Contender or Provider.  That was what we planted in 2010.  They were decent in taste but tended to be on the not tender side. I can't say enough for the Spartan Arrow beans.  We feel so fortunate to have found a distributor of the seed, for five years we have been looking for the seed.  This company is where we acquired the seed:

http://www.rispensseeds.com/

(Received our seeds November 8, 2011.  It was only 5 days after ordering.  They were packaged excellently.  
Thank you Rispen for your great customer service.)

Today we called the company and they have a few pounds left from this years inventory.  They will not be handling it in 2012.  I have not found any other source for the seed.

 We will be planting the seed spring 2012.  I have garden area reserved for seed, which is not organic (the seed is treated).  We will be planting rows for harvest fresh and rows that will be saved for seed.  The beans will be raised organic even though they are treated seed. We are fortunate to have plenty of garden spaces. 

Pluses we discovered about this incredible bean:

Productivity to the extreme; it produced under adverse conditions

(in the extreme heat and when the weather turned too cold)

It was not susceptible to any the diseases in our area. 

Storm damage was minimal, the plants are very strong.

The beans were held high on the plants in large bunches, not down at the base of the plant.

The flavor of the bean was superior to any bean we ever had, including the great long bean taste.

They stayed on the plant with out getting tough, longer than other beans we've tried.

Just like their name says they are very straight and seemed to stay straight during periods of uneven watering.

Right now I can't think of more accolades for the variety, but just remembering them is making me drool.  I can't wait to take pictures and share with you.  Saving this variety is at the top of our gardening agenda. 

February 1, 2013 Update addition

I found these articles which adds more pluses to the pluses for Spartan Arrow Bush Beans:

http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/schenectady/new/pdf/ag%20fact%20sheets/vegetables/Seed%20Maggots.pdf

Under the "management" section of the article they specify spartan Arrow Beans. 

 http://ipm-dd.orst.edu/potato/wcucumbeetle.pdf
Resistant to the adult cucumber beetle damage

Spartan Arrow (MSU 303) - Breeder: Michigan Agric. Expt. Sta., East Lansing. Vendor: Northrup, King and Co., Minneapolis, Joseph Harris, Rochester, New York and others. Parentage: selection of a cross Tenderbest x Contender. Characteristics: concentrated pod set, good holding quality; pods heavy, straight, separate easily from plant, slow seed and fiber development. Resistance: common mosaic virus strains 1 and 15. Similar: Bountiful, Contender. Michigan Quart. Bulletin 45, 608, 1963.

The above info is from  an article Edited by James Nienhuis and Michell E. Sass,  Department of Horticulture, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706 and James R. Myers, Department of Horticulture, 

Oregon State University. 

Corvallis, OR 97331-7304

This Seed deserves to have a place in our gardens.
I hope I have encouraged you to save seed.

For more blogs by me visit at:

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com

A blog mostly about quilting, but cooking, poetry, prose and a little gardening

 blog about the making of a Ninja Halloween costume

http://glosgarden.blogspot.com/

Not a garden blog.  There are articles which have nothing to do with creating or gardening. 

There are blogs on the new born baby kittens we found and are mothering.  It is a blog where I will sometimes voice my opinions which will always be environmentally friendly.

As always, any pictures or writings are my own, if not credit will be given to the contributor.

Please do not use without permission.

http://pitbulladog.blogspot.com/

Chronicling our adventures with a dumped Pit Bull Pup,

 who has become a hidden treasure.

All recipes, pictures, and writings are my own.

I give credit for items which belong to other people in my blogs .

Please do not copy without permission

SEARCHING FOR SPARTAN ARROW GREEN BEANS

Over the years we have found varieties of vegetables we love to grow.  Vegetables which are full flavored,  prolific, disease resistant, quick to harvest, excellent to either freeze or can; rise to the top of the list.  They do not have to be heirloom varieties. 

The very top of our list is a bean called "Spartan Arrow".  Our garden was never without this bean.  I became ill and we did not have a garden for 5 years.  When we began gardening again, we determined the company we would order most of our seeds from would be the one with "Spartan Arrow" seed..  For two years we have been searching for the seed.  Originally we ordered the seed from "Harris Seeds".  They said they weren't handling it any more and suggested we use "Espada" (I think is the spelling).  It was a comparable bean.  NOT!

Spartan Arrow is just what it's name implies. Straight as an arrow, no matter what the conditions.  If conditions were right you had to pick beans twice a day.  Another plus with the plant, It stuck its beans right up on the top of the plant, not camouflaging  the beans under the leaves (making picking a breeze).  They were the "greenest" tasting bean we've ever had.  Freezing, there was no loss of flavor and they seemed to be not as susceptible to freezer burn.  The bean seemed to be impervious to rust and other bean diseases.  It produced in hot weather as well as in the extreme cold.  We religiously covered the bean rows when there was frost.  We knew we would be rewarded with beans till cold became a daily thing.

If you know of where we can procure this seed please let us know. 

We have googled but have not found a source.

For more blogs by me visit at:

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com

A blog mostly about quilting, but cooking, poetry, prose and a little gardening

http://glosgarden.blogspot.com/

Not a garden blog.  There are articles which have nothing to do with creating or gardening. 

There are blogs on the new born baby kittens we found and are mothering.  It is a blog where I will sometimes voice my opinions which will always be environmentally friendly.

 

As always, any pictures or writings are my own, if not credit will be given to the contributor.

Please do not use without permission.