# My green beans shriveled !



## PrettyPaisley (May 18, 2007)

I grew Calima beans this year based on the description and reviews on the website and when I canned the first batch as dilly beans from the Ball book - they came out all shriveled. I don't want to waste my time pressure canning them if this is going to happen - any idea what caused this ? I hope I didn't just pick 3.5 bushels of hog feed.


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## Brighton (Apr 14, 2013)

I only can beans, dilly or otherwise, on the same day I pick them, actually as soon as possible after picking them. If you let them sit for a day or two that is what will happen.


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## PrettyPaisley (May 18, 2007)

Well good to know. I picked the row and it was gobs....more than I could do in one day. 
So is there a way to preserve them now that they've been off the bush for three days ? Will they freeze or dehydrate? Or do I feed them to the pigs and learn a good lesson for next time ?


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## Dixie Bee Acres (Jul 22, 2013)

I have found that green beans kind of go limp, even in the fridge about 10-12 hours after being picked.
I experimented a little and came up with a solution. Cover them with water and put them in the fridge.
I did some this past week like that, and 4 days later when I caught up with other tasks, they were still as crisp as freshly picked.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

Just can them as plain green beans. They will be fine.


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## Brighton (Apr 14, 2013)

PrettyPaisley said:


> Well good to know. I picked the row and it was gobs....more than I could do in one day.
> So is there a way to preserve them now that they've been off the bush for three days ? Will they freeze or dehydrate? Or do I feed them to the pigs and learn a good lesson for next time ?


You might try what Dixie Bee said, but since the have been off the vine/bush for that length of time you might have to clip an end so they will take in some water. I would freeze or dehydrate them at this point though, and they will be good in soups and stews.


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## PrettyPaisley (May 18, 2007)

Thanks for the tips. I'll can them as regular beans and see what happens and go from there. If that fails I'll dehydrate them. I'll take the ones I cut last night and stick them in water in the fridge. I'll do dilly beans with the next batch and only pick what I can handle that day. Thanks !!


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

Great info as the green beans get so out of control! I like to dehydrate them for winter soups and stews, but just dehydrated some fresh picked beans and am having a hard time getting them dry enough, I wonder if that's an opposite effect from canning them?


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## mtviolet (Jan 17, 2012)

If you canned them with vinegar in the liquid mixture they will plump back up after a couple of weeks.


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