I've grown these for years. Extremely tender, non-stringy beans. They set heavily and the 2nd flush even more heavily than the first.

I tried Jade this year. The beans themselves were fine but the plants weren't very productive for me. Now, they were growing with minimal water for the most part but the Pencil Pod Wax that were right next to them and growing under the same exact conditions outproduced them by a margin of 2:1.

Rodney

Production has never been an issue with Jade - it is very prolific! The only complaint I have is that apparently the seed patent has still not expired so the seed is still too expensive. Good to know that Pencil Pod Wax is a better choice for some areas. That is what this forum is all about - IMO!

{{gwi:100954}}

For the last several years I have mixed Jade 50/50 with Bush Blue Lake and seeded the row randomly. Jade is my modern favorite but I will never quit Blue Lake entirely because it has been a dependable producer for three generations of my family for over half a century. You just do not quit that kind of reliability. (The next generation seems willing to do just that in order to try out the trendy, fashionable new "hip" stuff. I keep my mouth shut because what matters is that they are taking an interest in gardening). For me Jade has been a very good producer of long straight beans produced close to the main stem on fairly compact plants. Easier to pick than the somewhat sprawling, floppy Blue Lakes, and the beans stay cleaner (I found out it sucks to have to clean bits of dried grass from the mulch off of fuzzy beans). Because Jade beans are so consistent regarding length, diameter, and straightness, I find them wonderful for slicing french-style.

My main crop purples are an equal mix of Purple Queen and Royal Burgundy, and my wax beans are an equal mix of Cherokee Wax, Pencil Pod, and Gold Rush (try as I might I have not been able to narrow the waxes down to two varieties). The seven varieties mentioned are my go-to standards. There are many other decent varieties out there, many of which I have and grow out occasionally, but I always find myself preferring these personal favorites.

This year my standard 50 foot rows of green, purple, and wax bush beans were flooded out. I reseeded 30 foot rows in another garden and rabbits destroyed them. I almost gave up at that point but decided to seed some late, last-ditch 16 foot rows that I protected with cattle panels with chicken wire zip tied to them, in hopes of at least getting a few for fresh eating. Weeded, hilled, then mulched the plants with fresh dried lawn grass clippings. Babied the plants through the seven week dry spell we had, carefully hand-watering every three days or so. This last Sunday was my first harvest of the year. Latest I have ever harvested my first beans.

Very good initial yields. First picking was small but second picking yielded enough green beans for 28 pints canned plus a few meals of fresh eating - again, from just a 16 foot row from one picking. Purples and waxes so far not as productive as the greens, but still canned 7 pints of the wax beans. Could not resist and ate all the purples. :-)

Two months ago I did not think I would be getting any beans this year. Got to pick again tomorrow, and very, very happy for it.

-Tom

I'd be very very happy to find a yellow version of Jade.

"I'd be very very happy to find a yellow version of Jade." - Me too. They could name it "Amber". And a purple version - they could call it "Amethyst". :-)

I have found Carson wax to have somewhat similar traits as Jade...

Hmm, I wasn't planning on growing Jade again next year but you all are making me rethink things.

Rodney

This post was edited by theforgottenone1013 on Sat, Aug 23, 14 at 11:21