Tiger's Eye Beans

Four days ago I started some seed germination tests to determine whether seeds in my stash are still viable. I wrote about testing pepper, Chinese cabbage, and Abraham Lincoln tomato seeds, but didn’t mention the test I started on Tiger’s Eye beans.

Tiger’s Eye beans are a delicious heirloom variety that is grown only for dried beans because their shells are inedible. Cooked, the dried beans have tender skins and creamy interiors. They are called Tiger’s Eye because of their unusual markings.

The last time we grew Tiger’s Eye beans was 2009. Last week I cooked some with a ham shank, celery, and onion. This soup was so good that I vowed to plant Tiger’s Eye beans this year. I have enough left to plant a couple of rows, but doubted that the beans were viable because they have been sitting on my kitchen counter in a big canning jar for five years now.

A germination test was in order. I put ten beans on a wet paper towel and put the towel in a plastic sandwich bag. This morning I opened the towel to find that all ten of the beans germinated in less than four days.

Given a decent growing season, we will be harvesting Tiger’s Eye beans again next summer.

Copyright 2014 by Shirley Domer