I grew Dr. Martin beans some years ago and experience some amazing vine growth. Be sure and have plenty of highth and strong support. They seem to make a very heavy foliage. By the way, I've lost any source for seed. Would you please share where you ordered your seed. I'd love to get some. I've been growing Burpee's Best Pole Lima's but am not totally satisfied with they way they grow and produce. They taste absolutely wonderful; but my production was slim.

The source I found for seeds is:

Ed Zitvogel
Zitvogel Farms

I've provided a link below. They're not on with PayPal or credit cards but I'm sending them payment by mail.

Thanks for your information!

DL

Here is a link that might be useful: Dr. Martin Pole Lima seeds website

Well, I think that link is no longer viable. Anyone else know where to find Dr. Martin Pole Lima? I have a friend who would like to get some seed.

Doesn't seem to be any reliable sources for giant Limas if you search. No sign of Dr Martin Lima even being sold recently on ebay. Must take up too much room to be profitable for seed collectors? You would think there would at least be a niche novelty market for the Dr. Martin Lima. William Woys Weaver's Heirloom Vegetable book claims the seed loses viability after a couple of years, and the vines have distinctive leaves. Apparently don't do that well in hot summers, so they need long but mild summers?

I grew Big Mama last year. The large seeds were very good and so easy to shell, but those are not available this year either.

Macmex, the SSE Yearbook is out already (mine arrived yesterday) and one member is offering Dr. Martin. OK MC G could probably get them for you. ;-)

Ah! Chris, I had been going through my notes, looking for your contact info, and had apparently lost it. Well, I'm a member now too. I started renewing again about two years ago. I wish there was a commercial source, as I'm looking for a friend, a member of Green Country Seed Savers.

Stop the press! I found a source!

Sandhill Preservation Center Beans

I'm afraid you'll have to start the presses again, George - Sandhill lists it as unavailable for 2019.

...

Wow, this lima really has become hard to find commercially. Spent some time digging, though, and found another possible source:
Landis Valley Farm

I've never tried it, having read that it required a long season... which is too bad, because it seems like a good candidate for preservation.

Thanks Chris! I was impressed with Landis Valley Farm & Museum's seed catalog. Looks like a fine group!

Does anyone know what color the flowers are on Dr. Martins?? I have Shirohana mame pole beans..I always wondered if they were the same thing? Mine bloom pure white.

I have been growing Dr. Martin for Sandhill for the last several years. Deer ate my plants down to nubs last year which destroyed any chance of a crop. I will be growing them again in 2019 and hope to have a crop of seed.

As others noted, Dr. Martin takes a very long and moderate season to mature beans. I have been able to get a small crop most years here in North Alabama. I think it would do better in a slightly cooler summer climate. I have to start the seed indoors in trays and set out plants in the garden to get decent production.

Any thoughts on the Dr. Martin lima bean crop in 2020? Mine are slow to blossom and no beans. Any others experiencing the same?

Are you in a location with really hot weather? That would be my first guess. if so, I bet you'll get some production when the nights cool down.

I planted a few Dr Martin's Limas from Rohrer Seeds (they had them until recently) that I started indoors, so I'll see what I get. Should I take seriously to have only one plant per large area? My two strongest seedlings are growing right next to each other, hate to kill one and be left with one to face acts of nature. I just want to get beans, even if there is a mess of vines,

Have another seedling I put outside too early (unseasonably cold early May weather) because it would vine inside, and protected it on cold nights. It survived the cold and it has started to grow vines again, so hopefully that one is good but I have a second backup plant.

Dr. Martin Lima is blooming, and first pods. Is growing just like other large limas for me, I was expecting troubles. How will I know if it really is true seed?

Flowers

First pods and thick vine

"How will I know if it really is true seed?"

You'll know by the seed size. Any cross would be smaller seeded.

If you have pods this early in the season, you have a good chance of at least partial success. My pole limas are only 3-4' tall, and just now forming buds. If a lima blooms for me before the end of July, I'll get dry seed.

Got some 1.5" limas, 2 or 3 to a pod before August. Plants were very vigorous in July, thou probably not that many pods are forming compared to the hundreds of flowers. When should I designate some pods to save?

Beautiful! And congratulations! One of these years I'm going to try growing those myself, even if success here is unlikely. I've been pleasantly surprised before, it's remarkable sometimes what can be accomplished with a little TLC. ;-)

My advice with limas is to let the first ripe pods dry for seed, until you have the amount of seed you want. It is better to harvest dry seed early, rather than take the risk that foul weather late in the season might destroy the seeds (as has often happened here). You can always harvest any limas that remain for eating, right up until frost.

I'm growing Dr.Martin this year too. One of the things I noticed is that they don't seem to set pods well until the bees start taking interest.

Growing the Rohrers source Dr. Martin Lima beans, they grew like other large limas I've tried. Really helps to start them in pots inside. Plants once they start growing can handle cold nights okay. I tried to cover up to protect from late frosts, and the plants survived and took off in the heat with the head start. Lots of mid summer pods, then got a late summer slow down with pod formation even with hundreds of blooms. I have lots of pods now in October, and weather is still hot but I will need luck to get decent size beans before freezes.

Not counting runt/abnormal pods, 3 seed lima pods were the most common, there were half as many 2 seed pods that filled out normal, and occasional 4 seed pods were not that rare. Best taste was limas at about tender 1"-1.25" size, plumped up but not as fibrous as full size. Hard to pick them at the perfect size. So easy to shell the big pods.

Hope you were able to save as many seeds as possible because Dr. Martin has become extremely difficult to find. I was lucky enough to acquire seeds from 2 sources, a SSE member and an old pack from Sand Hill Preservation, both of which germinated for me. Since my last post, I'm thinking that pod setting may be more temperature-dependent than pollinator-dependent with a slowdown occurring during the hottest weeks. I didn't start my seeds indoors and instead direct seeded them in mid-May, so I didn't get an early pod set, but after a worrying August with almost no pods, they came on like an army in September and I'm already up to 400 dry beans coming off of two tall wrought iron trellises holding 5 vines. I still have a ton of pods left that may or may not make it, but I found that they don't necessarily have to dry on the plant, especially if you get into a situation of wet weather. If you tilt the pods up to the light, you can see through to determine the size of the seeds and if they're fully developed. I pick them at the point when they start showing the first signs of yellowing and losing their moisture content and then spread them out under grow lights to accelerate the dry down process and prevent mold. I start by "unzipping" the pods by removing their strings and then remove the seeds and spread them on plates as soon as the pods dry up in about a day. Then I'll continue drying the seeds for several more weeks.

The last of my Dr Martin Lima beans were harvested yesterday before our first frost. They're delicious and I highly recommend them. I was doubtful in September, but I ended up with a huge yield, some of which could have used a few more weeks to finish growing and will be used for eating. This is a long season bean, so I really think starting seeds indoors in the future would be a good idea here in z6. The 1st photo is of my 2 trellises and the 2nd is my final yield minus what went into the pot. Not bad for the amount of growing space used although this variety produces long vines and I had to use tall tomato cages to catch what was over-growing the top of the trellis.

I've had great results from seeds ordered by an heirloom seed project. Over 2 lbs so far this growing season in zone 6b/7a. I found them here: https://www.landisvalleymuseum.org/explore/heirloom-seed-project/

Eva, how large do your Doc Martin Limas get? Mine max out at 1.5" long, which is huge, but wondering if you get larger from your source.

Out of the first and second harvests, I'm averaging slightly over 1.5" but still shy of 2". The 6 plants that I'm growing are supported by a sturdy wood and wire trellis that has 8 hardwood stakes that are driven 18" into the ground.

My area is very prone to high winds during summer rains. I learned my lesson last year, losing my entire crop of limas, sugar snaps and my largest tomato vine to a thunderstorm that also took down several large trees in the area.

Out of the pods shown, I've been getting anywhere from 2 to 4 large beans, creamy green in color. We had some with dinner last night and true to their heritage, they did not disappoint in texture or flavor. Looking forward to seed saving from this year's harvest!

I am growing Dr. Martin lima this year.

I was on a homestead site with a garden thread, saw a photo of kudzu thirteen feet tall vine twenty feet long row.

The man in the photo claimed that it was not Kudzu, but lima beans.

I ask how does he pick the the top layer, he said a ladder & he offered us a few seeds.

I will not climb a ladder, but I will run them on a wire.

If the deer do not eat them all, I would be glad to share the seeds this Fall.

I can't think of a time when it's necessary to grow beans taller than you can reach, but it is kind of fun to do, if not, just to show off. I once grew Tarahumara Pink Green beans on a 17' pole. They went to the top and over before breaking the pole.

For really tall growers one generally just puts up a sturdy support about as high as they can reach. The beans will go up and over, doing "loop d' loops" on the available support.

Glad you got some seed and kudos for offering to share!

I ended up seed saving from last growing season. I had a great germination rate. If I hadn't, my go-to is Landis Valley since they're relatively close to where I live I can pick them up direct and explore their other events and products.

Looking at ways to fend off the Mexican Bean Beetle this year; they devastated a good amount of my crop last year at the end of the season so I'm staying on top of pest control as much as I'm able to organically.

In my zone, I find that it's easier to direct sow than transplant.

This year's crop is doing well so far and I have high hopes for another great harvest. Hoping to take some to the local seed swap in January.

I direct sow, also.

I'm doing Dr Martin's pole lima this year.

https://www.vermontbean.com/product/V01211/207

I potted up some individual pots with one seed each which I'll plant on out when the times right

Okie HU

Been getting Dr Martin Limas now, very good so far, definitely under 90 days. I start them inside and plant outside about May 10th. You don't need many plants, and it is harder to pick them at the right time if the vines are tangled thick. Best to pick them when they plump up over 1 inch but while still green.

Generally, about 1 1/2" size lima beans, few close to 1 5/8". The 2 bean pods might get a little larger. I get 2, 3, and 4 bean pods. I think I will select just the 3 bean pods for saving though I like the 4 bean pods for production. The 4 bean pods may be more productive, but if selected for saving will you end up with smaller lima beans?

I did not grow beans this year, still having Deer problems, going to put up a fence.

My Dr. Martin pole beans have been sending out runners on the trellis for a while now.

Just picked my first pod. Just had one shiveled up bean in it.

I'm in hot , dry conditions right now.

Hope to cool down some later . In the meantime ,just keep watering.

Okie HU

HU-688870708

5 hours ago

Dr Martin pole beans best I personally don't recommend zitvogol business by no means at least not the one lower shore delaware bridge ville to be exact

Looks like more useless SPAM!

Can someone remove it??!???

Just picked a bunch of Dr Martin limas while tearing down the vines today November 24, 2024, and the lima beans were good to eat. There have been light frosts for a month, it snowed a little a few days ago, and after months of drought... the vines were still alive (until I killed them). Common pole beans were dying two months ago. Are all lima beans this tough?

Limas are naturally perennial, in warm climates. My limas (but not Dr. Martin) don't seem to be more frost resistant than other Phaseolus beans, but because the pods linger so long after flowering, they are one of the last things I harvest. Light frosts kill leaves, but if the vines themselves survive, pod ripening goes into overdrive.

Large-seeded white runner beans like Gigandes (eaten the same way as limas) are also one of the last things harvested before the freeze. Those are hardier than limas, and can be grown as perennials in areas where the ground doesn't freeze. Frost will kill the tops, but shoots will emerge from the roots when the soil warms in Spring.

My Dr. Martin limas didn't survive the hot , dry summer.

Vines just dried up on the trellis even with watering.

A complete failure.

Okie HU

Okie HU, My personal experience in Oklahoma is that non of the limas are optimal here. Smaller seeded varieties do seem to do a bit better but none really thrive. The best bet for success with them is to plant there where they get several hours of shade, preferably in the late afternoon.

ok ,thank you Max.

Ever hear of these beans:

https://www.rhshumway.com/product/S01250/211?fbclid=IwY2xjawITnAxleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHV5__Y7rq2GNUQ-eiEQf_hmh3tDU9uQPhbY2Nwaj_sWi-8yUslWGf4nU0A_aem_hVdDHA99VeavZt3xAJSrdw

I'm going to try some of those this year.\

Probably snake oil , but I'll try it one time.

Okie HU

I have read about those beans. There is some question about exactly how old the seed was when they found it. However, they are nice beans and grow well. One can purchase them by the pound in order to eat, on the internet.

HU, I would love to communicate privately about a bean you might like, and which I might be able to provide. Unfortunately Houz is especially uncooperative. I can't figure out how to message you.

Years ago, when Houz took over Gardenweb, I started Green Country Seed Savers. If you should pop over there, I have the same screen name there.

Macmex

In zone 7b, start indoors a month ( May 1) before trans transplanting. Space 1-2 ft. and be prepared for them to grow 10-12 ft high. Will produce heavily from late August until first trost( October to November. Rohrers was my source but now I just save 20 or 30. Excellent germination.