Black Valentine Bean
Item Details
Introduced in 1897 by Peter Henderson & Company. Shiny black seeds in 6" pods. A great dual purpose variety, use for fresh snap beans or dry soup beans. Prolific and dependable. Tolerant of cool temperatures.
- 50-55 days
- Organic
- Bush bean
- Snap or dry bean
- Black seeds
- Prolific and dependable
- Cool weather tolerant
This variety works for:
- Fresh eating
- Steaming
- Roasting
- Canning
- Soups
- Freezing
When preparing your snap beans, clean off the ends and wash before lightly braising them with garlic and tossing with bacon. You can also add them to salads or serve them with dip or hummus as an appetizer.
This variety makes a great black bean soup and is an excellent addition to spicy chicken soup recipes. Serve with rice or a piece of grilled bread topped with avocado.
Growing Instructions
Instructions - Sow seeds outdoors after danger of frost has passed and soil and air temperatures have warmed. Harvest dry beans when the pods are completely mature and dry.
- Direct Seed: 2" Apart
- Seed Depth: 1"
- Rows Apart: 36-48"
- Light: Full Sun
Ratings & Reviews
1 review
Two-way winner
by Don
My wife bought some seed of this variety at a local seed-savers exchange event some 15 years ago, and I have been growing it since. If you can catch the pods in the right week (two at the most), you will have great tasting green beans for fresh eating or processing. If you miss this window, plan to harvest a lot of dry black beans. They are the best dual purpose bean I have grown (and I have grown a lot of beans over my life). The only downside is that the beans are black -- OK if you like flavourful black-bean soup, but I find them a bit overwhelming in baked bean dishes. The upside of black is that they seem to be immune to fungus infections and can be planted in colder soil than white beans. Bottom line is that if you like/use black beans, you cannot go wrong with this variety.