This variety is from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: ‘This bean was discovered and named by Russ Crowe in 1977. It was a natural outcross that happened in his garden. Russ attended an exhibition where he showcased his newfound Blue Jay beans. Unfortunately the whole jar was stolen from his table! He later found his beans for sale in…
This variety is from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: 'This dry bean did very well in a dry bean trial we did and was one of the earlier maturing varieties. The bean was developed at Kentville, Nova Scotia's research station, specifically as a dry bean variety and was selected for early and uniform maturity - exactly what we saw…
This variety is from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: 'This is a very unusual coloured bean, that produces medium-sized pods containing oval-shaped lime beans. The plants have a bush growth habit, but sprawling isn’t uncommon. Lime delight is best used as dry beans in stews, chilies or added to any other meat dishes. If you want to have a…
This variety is from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: 'Possibly the most beautiful dry bean there is. Also known as yin-yang bean and calypso bean. The contrasting black and white seed coats are magical and if you ask any child which one they like most, they will probably point to these. The bushes produce bumper crops of flat green…
This variety is from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: ‘What an attractive bean this is. When I received the original seed from a friend, there was a note with it that said ‘Very Productive’. How true that turned out to be! Rockwell is an egg-shaped white bean with maroon and tan markings around the eyes. White beans all have…
This variety is from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: 'This exceptional bean also goes by the name of Borlotti lingua di Fuoco and is a fascinating heirloom variety that originates from South America, but is most popular in Italy. This multi-purpose bean can be used at various stages: as a very young green bean, as a shelling bean when…
This variety is from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: 'This a beautifully purple-colored bush bean from Northern Malawi, originally grown by the Tumbuka people. The dual-purpose pods have a fresh nutty flavour and a crisp, succulent bite. The beans are attractive with a navy blue seed coat decorated with cream/tan streaks. The fresh green pods also have purple mottling…
This variety is from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: 'Zagreb's Soldier is a heirloom variety that originates from Croatia. It is also known as the 'soldier bean' as the pattern on the bean resembles a soldier figure. These bush beans are extremely drought tolerant and produce masses of pods that shell very easily when dry. The dry beans can…
This variety is from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: ‘This is a heritage, open-pollinated corn variety that was grown very long ago by the Aztecs. Black Aztec can be found in seed catalogues dating back to the 1860s. The massive plants grow up to 2 to 2.5 m and produce 10 to 15 cm cobs filled with blueish black…
This variety is from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: 'This is a real miniature corn. The plants grow up to 1.6 m tall and put a lot of their energy into forming many small cobs on a single plant. For the perfect baby sweet corn, the mini cobs should be harvested a week after the silks are produced. Baby…
This variety is from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: 'I think this is one of the coolest and easiest crops to grow and is a must try for all gardeners. It's not certain from where strawberry popcorn originates, but some believe it to be a very old North American corn. The image and name are pretty self-explanatory and it's…
This variety is from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: 'This delectable, nutty-flavoured cowpea is perfectly suited to hot summer heat. This classic variety of cowpea has long been a favourite across the world and especially in the southern parts of the USA for its impressive heat tolerance and wild productivity. The plants grow quickly in the face of intense…
Brinjal (egg plant, aubergine, melanzane ...) are long-season plants so sow your seeds as early as possible. These teardrop beauties will provide long, slim fruit, ready to slice into stir-fries or stews, baked or grilled, or popped onto a braai and slathered with olive oil and freshly-cracked pepper ... yum! The flowers turn to fruit quickly so keep an…
This variety is from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: 'This is a very attractive lima bean: the whites and dark reds of the seed coat resemble festive colours, hence the name. Christmas lima beans are from Peru and have been around since the 19th Century (they reached America in the 1840s). They are heavy yielding, great tasting, beautiful and…
This variety is from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: 'Dixie Butterpea is a bush-type lima bean that impresses me each time I grow them. The green pods are inedible, but the beans can be harvested when the pods start to swell and can be used as a shelled bean, or the dried beans can be harvested once the pods…
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This variety is from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: 'This very old bean goes by various names: Holy bean, Angel bean, and Soldier bean. The almost round white beans have interesting markings around their eyes that look like an image of an angel, a soldier, or even say a dove. Legend has it that a French priest buried church…
This variety is from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: 'Black Nightfall originated as a cross in the gardens of Russel Crowe in the States, one of the world's leading bean collectors. Black Nightfall is without a doubt one of the most beautiful beans I have in my collection. The plants send out runners but won't take over your garden.…
This variety is from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: 'This stunning dry pole bean goes by various names that include Ojo de Tigre, Pepa de Zapallo and Tiger’s Eye. When mature the seeds have a dusty gold colour with swirls of maroon. The plants climb up to 1.8m but don’t get too out of hand. Very good yields can…
This variety is from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: 'Named after Carrie Belle Stallard of Virginia, in the US, this variety dates back to the 1930s. What a beauty of a bean! They are remarkably round, almost like marbles, and are a mixture of maroon and white. The beans produce pole-type plants that will vine up to 1.8 m…
Very important: The green beans inside the pods should always be cooked and not eaten raw as they do contains toxins that may be harmful when raw. This variety comes from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: 'Hyacinth beans also known as Lab-lab bean is native to Africa and are a favourite in Indian communities where they are referred to…
This variety is from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: 'Since the early 1900s this bean has been grown by the Lohrey family in northwestern Tasmania. It is also called Lohrey's Zebra, Lohrey's Special, and Natural Salt (as it reputed to have a naturally salty flavour). The plants are of pole type and will be more productive when offered a…
This variety is from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: 'This is an extremely productive pole bean that was bred in Australia as a green cut bean. I think it can be used in many more ways, including as a shelling bean and dried if you don't get to them in time. The purple streaks on the thick, 12 to…
This variety is from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: 'One of the best-yielding beans and a keeper for years to follow. These beans didn’t impress me at first as they were some of the last to start producing, but oh boy when they got going I was rather impressed. I pulled the plants in autumn while they were still…
This variety is from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: 'This is one of the most beautiful beans we offer. They make fantastic dried beans, but they are almost too pretty to eat. The plants have a climbing habit and need a trellis to grow to their full potential. The green flattish pods have light mottling to them and can…
This variety is from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: 'Originally from Portugal, Papa de Rola means “dove breast”. This is one of the prettiest dry beans out there - round with half-white and tan with maroon streaks. This is a pole bean that needs trellising as it reaches heights of 1.8 m. Expect bumper crops of beautiful plump beans.…
This variety is from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: 'These purple beans grow to between 30 and 50 cm long! They are in the Vigna (cowpea) genus, but the taste to me is even better than normal green beans. They are climbers and will need a trellis to vine on and support the great number of beans they produce. They…
This variety is from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: 'This is probably one of the most popular and widely grown runner beans around. The quick-growing plants vine up to anything they can get hold of and reach heights of 3.5 m in no time. As the name suggests, this variety produces red/orange flowers in masses that in turn form…
This variety is from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: 'This is very good-looking pole bean. Skunk beans have been grown by the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) people for many generations in North America. Each bean is uniquely mottled black and white. The name is self-explanatory once you see the bean up close. The vines like a taller trellis and can easily…
This variety is from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: ‘This is a personal favourite of mine for good reason. Snowcap beans are probably the biggest dry beans that I offer and they produce beautiful large beans that are a good option for stretching meals, especially stews with a bacon/tomato base. The vines will find their way up and around…
This variety is from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: 'This is the dry bean you want! From customer feedback, this has performed very well for almost everyone who tried it. From Africa for Africa is how I'd describe this bean. This Zambian heirloom is sought after in Africa. For me, this is the benchmark for what dry beans should…
This variety is from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: 'This variety’s original seeds were apparently found in a wild turkey’s craw ... hence the name. The mature seed is brown with tan flecks. The plants have a pole habit and produce fat stubby 10 cm pods from the ground right up to the top of the plant. The pods…
This variety is from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: 'This is probably our favourite runner bean. Friar Antonio de Arrabida described this species in Flora of Rio de Janeiro in 1827. The painted lady's incredibly beautiful blossoms are very attractive. This variety is less affected by warmer temperatures than other runner beans and is a prolific bloomer. The beans…
This variety is from Peak Week Pods. JC Terblanche says: ‘This beautiful variety is rather hard to find in South Africa. Runner beans are perennial and will grow out each year. They will thus be some of your first beans in their second year. The attractive salmon-coloured flowers will lure various pollinators into your garden. Though often grown as an…
This bush squash’s growth habit saves space that would otherwise be lost to sprawling squash vines. You’ll still need to allocate each plant a square metre or so as this excellent producer seems determined to show off. Caserta produces beautiful flowers (edible, of course) and then gorgeous zucchini/courgettes/baby marrows which have an almost varigated appearance. Of course, if you don’t…
