*Ark of Taste Heirloom*
(P. vulgaris) Years ago, we (read “Brian”) developed an obsession for collecting the classic regional white beans of northern Italy and France. “Sorana”, a famed pole bean of Tuscany proved difficult to find and we are thankful to Josh Volk and Lane Selman for tracking some down for us on their 2014 Terra Madre trip. The small white beans, traditionally grown for centuries on just a few hectares along the Pescia River NW of Florence, are known and sought out for their very thin tender skin and excellent flavor. Slow Food Italy has designated a presidium to the bean’s preservation and promotion. In our field, they are remarkably early for a pole bean (our earliest by several weeks), maturing instead with the bush beans. The vines are only moderate climbing to about 6-7’ with much of the pod set low down on the plant. In this regard, you lose some of the benefits of climbing (ie. keeping the pods off the soil in wet weather), but the early maturity tends to make it a non-issue.

*Note: We recently changed the name of this bean to "Pescia" in our catalog out of respect for the place of origin protection the name "Sorana" carries. It has had certified "Protected Geographical Indication" (PGI) status through the EU since 2002. We encourage growers to avoid the "Sorana" name in marketing when growing outside of its traditional region. For one it is a legally binding regulation, but more importantly, these protections can play an important role in keeping a bio-diverse food landscape and help small farmers continue to make a living growing regionally and culturally significant crops in their place of origin.

85-90 days. UO

Packet: 40 seeds

[split]

Growing Info

SOWING:

Direct seed after the last frost date when the soil has warmed.

Note: Beans prefer well-drained, warm soil.

PLANTING DEPTH:

1"

SPACING:

3-5" between plants with 12-24" between rows*

*Pole beans require 5+' between rows.

EMERGENCE:

5-10 days @ soil temp 65-90F

LIGHT:

Full sun to part shade

FERTILITY:

Light to Moderate. Beans can produce their own usable nitrogen from atmospheric nitrogen through a symbiotic relationship with bacteria that colonize specialized nodules in their roots. Too much soil fertility can cause excessive vegetative growth at the expense of pod set and maturity.
Beans prefer well-drained, warm soil with a pH between 6.0-7.0.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

Beans prefer warm soils and may rot at lower temperatures. This is particularly true for white-seeded varieties. You love beans. Patience.

It can be quite beneficial to mix bean seeds with commercially available bacterial "inoculants" to encourage the beneficial symbiotic relationship in the growing plant's root nodules, especially if growing on ground that hasn't been planted with beans before. This can increase yields and improve plant health.

Avoid picking/weeding beans when the plants are wet. This will help prevent the spread of disease.

Provide a trellis for pole beans.

White-seeded varieties are more susceptible to rot when seeded in cool, wet, early-season conditions.

Sow Snap Beans every few weeks for continued harvests.

Harvest dry beans when the pods are brown and dry.

Bean, Pole Dry, 'Pescia'