Susan Griffin and Richard Hebda
Canada’s prairie provinces are renowned as a world breadbasket, supplying wheat and other cereals as well as oil seeds. Surprisingly, they are a major global source of pulses such as lentils. Growing beans, however, can be challenging over the moderately short growing season and hot droughty summers. Nevertheless, Susan Griffin of southern Saskatchewan has succeeded with more than 100 bean varieties. As part of helping Canadians choose beans suitable for their region we report her top ten bush beans. Susan also provides some timely advice on how to grow and mature a crop under south Saskatchewan climatic conditions.
Susan Griffin gardens on an acreage near Moosomin, Saskatchewan, located 20 km east of the Saskatchewan-Manitoba border and 140 km north of the USA-Canada border. Growing heritage beans for over 40 years Susan has amassed a collection of more than 100 varieties. Susan’s bean fields are in Plant Hardiness zone 3b where the growing season for beans lasts from late May to mid-September. On average there are 107 frost-free days (June 5 – September 20). Zone 3b covers the southern half of Alberta (to Edmonton), the southernmost portions of Saskatchewan, and Manitoba and a strip north of the Great Lakes in central Ontario.
Susan practices intensive gardening, growing bush beans in a square foot system, with 9 beans per square foot, and pole beans in rows along fencing. She avoids commercial fertilizers and chemical weed control, opting instead for compost and comfrey tea to nourish the soil. Mulch is applied heavily to combat the region’s hot summers, where daytime temperatures often reach 30°C and nighttime lows dip to 10°C. Temperature over the four growing months averages a high of 25°C and a low of 13°C. The mulch can attract slugs in wet years but helps conserve moisture during more typical hot and dry years.
Susan Griffin‘s top ten bean varieties are based on resilience to temperature fluctuations, ability to mature within the frost-free period, flavor, and visual appeal (including the plants, flowers, and seeds). Bush beans are a favourite especially those suitable for fresh, shelled, and dry use.
Susan Griffin’s top ten bush beans ranked by days to maturity of snap and dry harvest with notes on yield.
| Variety | Growth form | Maturity (days) Suitable as Snap bean | Maturity (days) Dry bean | Yield, as ratio of seeds planted to seeds recovered | Climate and weather notes |
| Snaps and dry | |||||
| Drew’s Dandy | Compact bush | 45-50 | 70-90 | 7x | For short seasons |
| Mennonite K triple A | Bush | 80 | 10x | For short seasons | |
| Arikara Yellow | Compact bush | yes | 80-85 | 10x | Drought resistant |
| Jesse Fisk | Bush | yes | 85 | 6x | Dependable and early |
| Orca/Calypso | Compact bush | yes | 90 | Wide range from 4-8X | Disease resistant |
| Superlative Magpie | Robust bush | 65 | 90 | 9.2x | Disease resistant |
| Hidatsa Red | Sprawling vine with many runners | 100 | Range 9-12x | Tolerates inclement weather | |
| Snaps only | |||||
| Provider | Full bushy Plant | 50 | For diverse soils and challenging climates | ||
| Stringless Green Pod | Bush | 50 | Produces abundant pods | Dependable but in wet conditions subject to mold | |
| Sequoia Romano | Bush | 60 | 5x | For cool short seasons |
Arikara Yellow (Yellow Indian)
This bean is credited with helping to sustain the Lewis and Clark expedition through the winter of 1805 at Fort Mandan, North Dakota. The cream-coloured buds open to a pale pastel purple then white. The 10 cm (4”) long green pods can be used fresh, but the beans are best for soups, stews and especially baking. The bean holds its shape if cooked briefly. A compact, and drought resistant bush type yielding dry beans in 80-85 days.
Drew’s Dandy
An heirloom bean from the Carrot River, Saskatchewan area. The plant has an abundance of tasty green flat pods filled with flat white seeds. Drew’s Dandy has yellow buds and begins producing white flowers in 35-40 days. Perfect for short seasons, it yields extra-early 11 cm (41/2”) long edible pods in 45-50 days. Fresh pods are excellent stir fried. Dry beans are ready in 70-90 days. Comprehensive description available at https://heritagepotato.ca/heritage-beans/drews-dandy/ and https://heritagepotato.ca/heritage-beans/drews-dandy-delivers/
Hidatsa Red (Hidatsa Indian Red)
A variety from the Hidatsa People of North Dakota that was introduced by Oscar Will & Co. in 1915. A prolific bean that blooms with white flowers. The plants sprawl (to 1 m =40”) with many runners thus making it suitable for a cover crop. The pods are green and bumpy and about 10cm (4”) long. Having a slightly nutty flavour and good texture, it is excellent in chili and hummus. Hidatsa tolerates inclement weather. Seeds can be started in peat pots in a greenhouse before setting out into the garden to ensure the plants mature during short seasons. Dry seed has been successfully harvested from plants pulled before being totally dry when hung to dry in a building. Matures in 100 days.
Jesse Fisk
Jesse Fisk a settler of Charleston, New Hampshire in the 1740’s brought these from England. The pale lavender flowers mature into straight green pods averaging 13cm (about 5”) long. An excellent bean useful as a string bean when young but is best as a dried bean. Dry beans cook quickly and are great in chilis, soups, or stews. The plant is productive, dependable, and early. Dry seeds mature in 85 days.
Mennonite K Triple A
An old heirloom bean grown by Betty Keeler’s family in the Canadian prairies for more than four generations. Brought from the Black Sea area to Canada in 1890’s by Betty’s great grandmother, Katherine Thiessen they have been grown near Winkler, Manitoba and then Springfield, Saskatchewan for many years. The short blooms are pale purple and mature into 9.5cm (4”) flat green pods. These beans are extremely productive, early, and dry quickly on the plant. Mennonite K is great for short season areas maturing in 80 days.
Orca (also called Calypso, Ying Yang)
This variety originated in the Caribbean-Mexican area in the 1600’s. They may be a cultivated hybrid of the kidney bean. Plants grow to 40-45 cm (16-18”) high. The flowers are robust and white. Plump green pods average 9.5cm (4”) long. This bean matures early and is disease resistant and productive. Pods are edible however the dry beans are ideal for many uses. They double in size when cooked and develop a creamy flavour. Orca/Calypso is suitable for pasta dishes and goes well with tomato sauces. It can be used in chili, stew, soup, and with tacos, and rice. Dry beans are ready to harvest in 90 days in southern Saskatchewan. For more information see https://heritagepotato.ca/heritage-beans/calypso/
Provider Snap
A 1965 South Carolina introduction from Dr. Hoffman (U.S. Vegetable Laboratory in South Carolina). Provider is a dependable early green bush bean with small pale pink flowers. This variety is adapted to diverse soils, short seasons, coastal and challenging climates. The round green pods average 10cm (4”) long and have excellent bean flavor. Provider’s pods are great for fresh eating, freezing, and canning. Seeds germinate in cooler soils than most beans, and plants resist disease and yield well. The snaps are typically ready in 50 days.
Sequoia Romano
This variety was obtained as a selection from Annapolis Seeds in Nova Scotia. The flowers are beautiful with deep reddish-purple keel petals and pale purple-pink wing petals. The flat, Romano-style pods are velvety smooth and have a luminescent deep-purple colour that turns to deep green when cooked. Pods grow to 9.5cm (4”) long. They are tender, yet meaty, savory yet sweet. Sequoia Romano is well adapted to cool, short seasons… a very colourful plant and possibly my favorite bean plant when in blossom. Matures in 60 days.
Stringless Green Pod
Originally a Burpee’s selection this bean was developed by Calvin Keeney in 1894 The bean remained popular for many years because of its stringless characteristic. The pale pink flowers fade to yellow. The 10cm (4”) pods are an excellent snap bean. This variety is early, productive and freezes and cans well. Matures in 50 days.
Superlative Magpie
This variety was introduced by Sutton’s Seeds in England in 1909 as Superlative and in 1913 in France as Magpie. The pale green buds develop into white blossoms on robust bushes that often encroach on the neighbouring bean patches. The thin 11cm (41/2”) long green pods are suitable for snaps when young.at 65 days. Pods shell easily maturing in 90 days. Susan notes that it is interesting that a variety for the climates of England and France also grows well the hot dry climate of southern Saskatchewan. The seeds are thin, and she wonders if they might be fatter if given more water.
