Anney, Yes they can be shelled like cowpeas. I only like them as pods in stirfies and other Chinese type dishes. They don't taste much like a green bean and in my opinion are goshawful in a traditional green (snap) bean style of cooking. Like cowpeas, they come in different sizes and colors, but are not as conducive to shelling.

We enjoy them as snaps, though I agree, they are "different." I wouldn't think to grow them as a replacement for regular southern peas. At least, the variety of yard long we grow is way to hard to shell to make them practical and their seed production is much much lower than a southern pea.

Hopefully Zeedman will show up soon. I would highly value his input on this question, as he grows quite a few yard longs.

George
Tahlequah, OK

I got my pack of yardlong seeds in the mail' will be trying fir the first time rather than KW and bluelake pole. I only have room for one kind this year.

ED

Veg_grower, if you have never grown yardlongs before, I would not recommend doing away with your snap beans just yet. To avoid possible disappointment, you might want to try some first, to be sure that you like them.

To answer the original post...

I love yardlongs, and grow a lot of them. They are mostly vigorous climbers (some rampantly so) that will bear in the heat of Summer, when regular snap beans falter. This makes them well suited to the warmer Southern climates of the U.S. The yield can be heavy & continuous, over a long period. When flowering begins, they attract beneficial insects to the garden - wasps & ladybugs in particular. Since ladybugs are notoriously hard to keep in the garden, I highly recommend yardlongs (and cowpeas) as part of the solution for those who want to solve an aphid problem organically.

Yardlongs, while botanically a cowpea, are less than ideal when used as dry beans. I have eaten them that way, because I don't like to waste anything... but I prefer other peas bred for that purpose. You generally don't get many seeds per pod, they can be difficult to shell, and they often have clinging membranes which are hard to remove.

Nor will they replace green beans in most recipes. I'm a big fan of yardlongs, and eat & freeze a lot of them... but I would be the first to admit that they are not for everyone. They have unusual flavors, and are very sensitive to over-cooking. They are best suited to stir fries, and Asian soups & stews (such as Filipino pinakbet). I also enjoy them as a vegetable, seasoned with vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic powder; they are a pleasant departure from the same-old green beans. Many in the South eat the immature "snaps" of cowpeas, and yardlongs could be prepared similarly... so Anney, I think you will enjoy them.

There are variations in taste between varieties. The dark green podded variety sold commercially as "asparagus bean" does indeed have that flavor, if cooked lightly. Others, such as "Chinese Red Noodle", have a somewhat nutty flavor (the best tasting commercial variety, IMO). Some I wouldn't know how to describe, since their flavor is unique. Some varieties are very firm, and hold their shape well when cooked in soups.

By the way, unlike purple snap beans, the purple pods of "Chinese Red Noodle" do not turn green when cooked. They might turn a little grayish, but a dash of vinegar added after cooking will restore their color. They are really eye-catching as a side dish.

As to whether you should grow both peas & yardlongs, I suppose it depends upon how much space you have, and whether you intend to save seed. The two can cross if planted too closely. I've grown yardlongs & cowpeas with at least 50 feet of separation, and other tall flowering crops between (such as pole beans & limas) and have yet to see a cross.

Thanks, all! I appreciate the information about taste and shelling beans of this variety.

Since I don't have any more room to add another vegetable, I'm going to put off planting yardlongs until another time. I really don't want to give up my cowpeas, but I might give the asparagus YL a try next year if I can freeze a sufficient amount of cowpeas over the next few months to last for a while. Thank goodness for vacuum freezer systems!

My suggestion is to buy a pak of seed and plant 2. That gives you a chance to try them out, like in stir frys, and if you don't like them swap the seed that is left. There are a lot of us in zone 9/10/11 that would be happy to trade you for another seed this late summer or autumn.
I tie them in knots prior to steaming them.