Crop Review 2010 – Borlotto Solista Beans

As 2010 winds down, I would like to review what was grown in the garden and determine what worked and what didn’t.  I’ll take a few areas into consideration when I award rating stars (5 stars is the best). 

• Ease to grow
• pest & disease resistance
• appearance
• production
• taste (fruit/veggies only)

This summer was the 1st time I tried growing Borlotto Solista Beans and it won’t be the last.  In fact, 2011 may be the year of the bean in the garden. 

• These beans grew easily and produced giant pink speckled pods that were left on the vines to dry.  They were planted in mid May (05/18/10) and germinated 8 days later (05/26/10). 
• Grasshoppers did a little damage but not much.  This may be credited to the marigolds growing beneath the vines. 
• The hot pink pods are really decorative and unusual.  Theses bean would grow well over an arbor to provide shade and dazzling pink ornaments.  Make sure to allow plenty of room for the vines to climb skyward. 
• At first, I didn’t think the vines produced many pods; but once some adjacent tomatoes were removed an abundance of pods was revealed.
• Recently, the dried beans were cooked up with some Thanksgiving ham bone along with some onions to make a really delicious dish.  I really wish I had planted more.  More garden space will be dedicated to these beans in an effort to stock my pantry with more dried beans.

Extra bonus:  No gaseous turmoil was reported due to the ingestion of Borlotto Solista Beans.  Oh yes – saying Borlotto Solista with an Italian accent is pretty cool.

The only drawbacks I had growing Borlotto Solista Beans fall squarely on my shoulders.  I didn’t plant enough.