Vegetables Gardening - Growing Organic Vegetables

This year I planted out a small packet of open pollinated pinto beans that I bought about five years ago. I no longer remember the source since they came in a plain brown envelope.

These have turned out to be magical beans. They climbed up six feet, and started bearing early and heavily. They are very tender if picked young. The neighbors said they were the best green beans they ever ate.

About a month ago, I stopped picking half of them intending to save the seeds. Now just as the pods have started to mature, the pintos have gotten hit with some disease. (Large brown spots on the leaves and pods, even immature ones, and half the leaves have fallen off in a few days.)

Even if some pods mature, I'm leery of saving the seeds. (Unless someone knows how to treat them.)

Searching heirloom seed sites for replacement seeds shows only pintos that grow to 20 inches.

Does anyone know of a source for pole-type pinto seeds? (Or how to sterilize any seeds I can collect.)

Thanks,
Bob

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