Stringless Blue Lake FM-1K Pole Snap Bean

Stringless Blue Lake FM-1K seeds produce a stringless blue lake fm-1k pole bean. Plants have a vining or climbing habit. Plants typically reach 73–96 in. Seeds generally emerge in 7–14 Days at 65–80 °F. The first representative harvest is generally reached in 60-69 Days from direct sowing.

About Stringless Blue Lake FM-1K

Stringless Blue Lake FM-1K is sold as a pole snap bean selection. The principal color is green, and the harvest form is Round, slender pods about 5.5–6 in. Fresh green-bean flavor with tender pod walls when harvested before the seeds bulge. Best uses include fresh snap pods, cooking, freezing, tested pressure canning, and seed saving. Other seed records may list it as Bean, Bean Seeds - Pole - Blue Lake FM1K.

• Scientific name:Phaseolus vulgaris L.
• Life cycle:Annual
• Planting season:Late Spring
• Growth habit:Vining/Climbing
• Plant height:73–96 in
• Sunlight:Full sun
• Seed depth:1 in
• Germination:7–14 Days at 65–80 °F
• Spacing:6 in between plants; 36 in between rows
• Soil:Loamy; pH 6.0–6.5
• Water:Moderate
• Support:Trellis
• Reproductive type:Open-Pollinated (OP)
• Harvest form:Round, slender pods about 5.5–6 in
• Maturity:60-69 Days

History and seedkeeping context

The North Carolina State cultivar archive records Stringless Blue Lake FM-1K as a Ferry-Morse introduction from 1959. It belongs to the Blue Lake pole-bean tradition but is a named selection, not a reason to merge every Blue Lake-type bean into one record. The cultivar is maintained for round, slender green pods, stringless quality at the proper harvest stage, and vigorous climbing growth. Continued stewardship of Stringless Blue Lake FM-1K depends on keeping the original source, lot, year, growing location, isolation method, representative plant count, and harvest traits together. Those records help future seedkeepers distinguish the named variety from similar market classes while preserving both its useful traits and its documented history.

Why this variety is distinct

FM-1K offers a straighter, more uniform snap-pod profile than the thicker curved pods of Kentucky Wonder. Trellis the vines early and pick frequently before seeds enlarge. When saving seed, retain the FM-1K name with the source and avoid crossing it with nearby pole beans that may share the broader Blue Lake label.

Harvest and kitchen or field use

Harvest for eating while pods are tender and before the seed becomes prominent. The crop is described as Round, slender pods about 5.5–6 in. Leave separately marked pods to mature fully when saving seed. Fresh snap pods, cooking, freezing, tested pressure canning, and seed saving. Fresh green-bean flavor with tender pod walls when harvested before the seeds bulge.

How to grow Stringless Blue Lake FM-1K

Direct sow 1 in deep during the late spring planting window. Keep the seed zone near 65–80 °F and evenly moist until emergence, normally 7–14 Days. Grow in full sun with loamy soil near pH 6.0–6.5. Space plants 6 in apart and rows 36 in apart. Keep the soil evenly moist through flowering and pod fill without leaving the root zone saturated. Install a sturdy trellis before vines begin to run so roots are not disturbed by late construction. Plants typically reach 73–96 in.

Season care

• Wait for warm soil in the late spring planting window before sowing Stringless Blue Lake FM-1K; cold wet ground delays emergence and encourages rot.
• Water consistently through flowering and pod fill, then reduce irrigation as dry-seed crops approach final cure.
• Install a sturdy trellis before vines begin to run so roots are not disturbed by late construction.
• Harvest for eating while pods are tender and before the seed becomes prominent. The crop is described as Round, slender pods about 5.5–6 in. Leave separately marked pods to mature fully when saving seed.
• Use 60-69 Days as the planning range, while allowing for shifts caused by weather, soil temperature, and plant stress.

Maturity and harvest timing

60-69 Days from direct sowing to the first eating harvest under suitable conditions. Harvest for eating while pods are tender and before the seed becomes prominent. The crop is described as Round, slender pods about 5.5–6 in. Leave separately marked pods to mature fully when saving seed.

Saving seed

The crop is largely self-pollinating, but occasional insect-carried crossing can occur among compatible varieties. Save from several healthy, true-to-type Stringless Blue Lake FM-1K plants rather than one exceptional individual. Mark seed plants before the eating harvest, remove clear off-types before they contribute pollen, and let seed reach full biological maturity. Shell only fully dry pods, discard moldy or insect-damaged seed, and dry the cleaned seed again before storage. Label the lot with crop, variety, source, year, location, plant count, isolation method, and selection traits. Keep the original packet and lot history with the saved seed so later grow-outs can be compared without relying only on memory or seed color.

Common problems

Watch Stringless Blue Lake FM-1K for bean beetles, aphids, leafhoppers, mites, pod-feeding insects, bacterial or fungal leaf spots, rust, mosaic symptoms, and root rots. Rotate away from legumes, avoid working wet foliage, water at the soil line, and remove badly diseased plants. Cold wet soil commonly causes poor emergence; excess nitrogen can create leafy growth with fewer pods. Save seed only from healthy representative plants.

Frequently asked questions