Greek Gigantis Beans - OK in cooler climates?

[Susan BBPM]

I'm keen to try Greek Gigantis beans (having seen them grown by YouTube gardeners down South).

I'm in the West of Scotland - in a little area not far from the sea which never gets too hot or too cold. However, unlike South of England and Wales, our Summers are typically around 18 degrees with 24 degrees being the extreme for us.

I got my fingers burnt this year trying to grow Purple Hyacinth Bean in key positions because I'd seen it grown down South- it's STILL only grown about 6 inches despite us having a very hot (for us) spell.

If you've tried Greek Gigantis bean - how do you rate my chances of growing it here?

 

[headfullofbees]

They are lima beans & I too am a fan of gigantes, so I've looked into growing them, but unfortunately they don't do well here.
Best to grow white-seeded runner beans, like "White Lady" which will provide the nearest to them feasible in Scotland

 

[Susan BBPM]

They are lima beans & I too am a fan of gigantes, so I've looked into growing them, but unfortunately they don't do well here.
Best to grow white-seeded runner beans, like "White Lady" which will provide the nearest to them feasible in Scotland

Damn - I've just ordered some seed!!! Should have been more patient and waited for an answer!!!

Although you say they're lima beans - are you sure? The place I ordered the seeds from says not? It claims they are runner beans. Take a look - third item down:

Special Runner Bean vegetable seeds to buy from The Real Seed Catalogue UK

Runner beans will produce in cooler weather than French beans, and crop over a really long period. Selected new varieties for you to grow at home.

www.realseeds.co.uk

 

[Oliver Buckle]

UK runner beans = US lima beans, it seems. Though when I look butter beans creep in there too, and Oregon lima beans. Always the problem with common names.

 

[Susan BBPM]

The plot thickens!

Certainly a lot of American sites call them Greek Gigantis Lima beans.

But this American blog talks in depth about growing Greek Gigantis and she claims they are runner beans:

"Gigantes, aka Gigandes, Yigandes, Yiyantes and even Macedonian Elephant beans for the extra large selections, are runner beans - Phaseolus coccineus - the same bean family as Scarlet Runner Beans. They do best where it doesn't get too hot so they are quite happy in my cool coastal climate. Unlike Scarlet Runners they have pure white flowers and huge white seeds."

I believe she is in California so her idea of cool climate will be different from ours!!

As I've already purchased the seeds I'm going to give them a go - perhaps in a container in the polytunnel until july then bring them out into a sheltered spot? Scarlet Runners romp away like there's no tomorrow in my graden.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I had a runner before I stored my seed badly called 'St. George' which had red and white flowers, a bit like the salvia 'Hot lips'. Probably wouldn't appeal in Scotland though

 

[Susan BBPM]

I had a runner before I stored my seed badly called 'St. George' which had red and white flowers, a bit like the salvia 'Hot lips'. Probably wouldn't appeal in Scotland though

I'm English born so it would be a subtle way to 'fly the flag' LOL

 

[headfullofbees]

Damn - I've just ordered some seed!!! Should have been more patient and waited for an answer!!!

Although you say they're lima beans - are you sure? The place I ordered the seeds from says not? It claims they are runner beans. Take a look - third item down:

Special Runner Bean vegetable seeds to buy from The Real Seed Catalogue UK

Runner beans will produce in cooler weather than French beans, and crop over a really long period. Selected new varieties for you to grow at home.

www.realseeds.co.uk

They should be OK.
It says butterbean type
I take that just to mean they are white, like butterbean seeds, rather than the black/pink of more traditional varieties.