BEAN BUSH BORLOTTI ‘Red Rooster’
Botanical Name: Phaseolus vulgaris
Red Rooster has attractive mottled red pods, 13cm long, with 6-7 dark maroon and white seeds when fresh, maroon and tan when dried; disease resistant and productive. Mainly grown for use as a dried bean, but the fresh podded beans are delicious. Use in soups, stews, Mexican dishes, and baked beans.
Plant Type: Annual, up to 50 cm high
Sow When:
- Beans are frost-tender; germinate best at 18 – 25°C; seed will rot in cold, wet soil
- Temperate Subtropical: Spring to early summer
Germination:
- 7 – 14 days
- Depth: 2 – 4 cm deep
Position: Full sun
Sow Where: Direct into the garden bed
Soil Type: Fertile, well-drained, pH 6.2 – 7
Rows: Double rows 60 cm apart
Spacing: 15 cm between plants
Details: Hill plants, up to 10 cm deep, to protect from wind damage; water well once after sowing and then do not water again until seedlings appear
Harvest: 60 – 70 days; harvest when the pods rattle, hang upside down undercover, thresh when fully dried; freezing for 2 weeks before storage will kill weevils
