I love growing the Romano beans. They would be my choice if I had to garden away fro my home in a community garden somewhere as they do not need constant watching at picking time. I visit them many times before I pick them in the garden, waiting for them to turn colour first to indicate that they have ripened to their fullest but not so long that they are completely dry as they ought to be for storing. I cook and freeze them for winter use but I might try keeping some dried this year. I think they contain more nutrients than green beans. I don't shell them until they are cooked as it is much easier to do then. My question is whether, as I suspect they might, the Romanos would be able to cross with Blue lake pole beans? As a seed saver I save some and buy some every year depending on how things went the previous year. I think I am seeing a difference in some of the beans this year, unless there is more than one variety of Romano sold from one year to another at the stores. I haven't been growing them long but am finding I do like their less demanding qualities. A scarlet, which flavour I like, will double in size overnite if missed in picking where the Romano will not and who cares if it does as it is still edible in all stages. Included is pic of some I picked yesterday at various points of ripeness, lying on some scarlets . And perhaps the scarlets would mix in? Could be some interesting beans next year perhaps! D
