The term beans generally refers to large seeded plants that include soybean, peanut and peas. Beans are one of the evergreen vegetables that can be grown easily in your backyard, terrace garden and even in your balcony as well. They belong to the legume family and have enormous amounts of health benefits.
Beans are a good source of protein and fiber and are also rich in iron, potassium and magnesium.
How to Grow Beans and What Month do you Plant Beans:
Beans need warm weather to grow, so if you are planning to grow green beans then summer is best for growing, start it in summer as cold weather or frost can damage the seeds and make them rotten. Sow the seeds directly in the garden, if you transplant it later, then the roots may get easily damaged as they are shallow.
Before planting the beans make sure to know about the type of plant that it grows into, whether it is a bush bean or pole bean.
Bush bean: If it is a bush bean then sow the seeds one or two inches deep and apart. In case you are planting it in garden then the rows should be 2-3 feet apart.
Pole bean: If you are planting pole bean then they need support of some stick or pole to grow. For every 3-4 seeds one pole is required with a space of 3-4 feet between each pole.
These beans grow when under full sunlight or at least look for a place where there is partial sunlight. The soil should be well drained but moist enough for the seeds to germinate.
Different Types Of Beans:
Beans come in large variety, some can be eaten raw while the other needs to be cooked. The green tender pods can be consumed as it is, where as the dried ones need to be cooked before consuming.
They are considered nutritious as it contains large amount of protein, carbohydrates and minerals. The various beans cultivated through out the world are
- French Beans
- Soy Beans
- Kidney Beans
- Cluster Beans
- Lima Beans
- Broad Beans
- Sword Beans
- Garden Beans
- Dolichos Beans
- Navy Beans
- Fava Beans
- Pinto Beans
- Cranberry Beans
In this article we are going to study about how to grow kidney beans, when to harvest beans, when to plant broad beans and how long do broad beans take to grow.
How To Grow Kidney Beans
Kidney beans are very healthy as they contain antioxidant properties, vitamin B6, folic acid as well as cholesterol lowering fiber. Kidney beans can be a good choice for vegan’s as well as the one having diabetes. Kidney beans need to be consumed only once they are dried and cooked, the raw once are toxic.
Kidney beans can be planted when the temperature is about 18-26 degree Celsius. It is best to do the planting in the spring or after the last frost. It give good results when they are directly sowed in the garden instead of doing transplant, as it may damage the plant and it may not yield well.
Kidney beans comes in two varieties-bush and vine. Make sure you know what type of seed you are using. The vine variety need some sort of support like a pole or trellis to grow.
The planting area should have full sun exposure or at least for about 6 hours daily. Kidney beans require humidity and warmth to thrive. Make sure that the temperature does not go below 16 degree Celsius. Sow the kidney bean seeds 1-2 inches below the soil surface, giving a space of about 4 inches between each seed. Water the plant daily once, when the soil is dried out, do not give over supply of water. The seeds will germinate in about 10-12 days.
Unexpectedly if there is snow fall after the beans have sprouted , cover the seedlings with a canvas or cloth so that it doesn’t get effected by the freezing temperature.
Also Read: Soybean Farming: A Complete Guide to Cultivation and Production
Harvest And Storage
If you have planted bush variety then it needs to be harvested only once at the end of the growing season. But if it is pole variety then it has to be harvested several times through out the season. The average harvesting time will be 3-4 months depending on the type of seed you use.
If there are some unfavorable conditions like dropping temperature that may threaten your harvest then pull out the plants early. Keep the plants for the pods to dry out completely, it may take several days or weeks. As you dry the seeds keep them in a warm indoor location with lots of circulating air.
How To Grow Broad Beans
Broad beans produce high yields from the smaller area of garden. These can be grown in modest sized pots as well. This vegetable is easy to grow, especially a good activity for children.
Lets learn about when and how to grow broad beans.
Before starting with the planting few things need to be kept in mind. Always choose a spot away from strong winds, sheltered spot, fertile land and a place where you can easily get sunlight.
When To Grow Broad Beans
Some variety of broad beans need to ne sown in spring while some are well grown if you plant them in autumn. If you sow it in November, that is autumn then it will germinate within 2-3 weeks.
The germinated seeds will overwinter and start growing again in spring. In severe winters you need to protect the crops by covering it with fleece or cloches.
Must Read: Growing Your Favorite Peanuts or Groundnuts
How To Sow Broad Beans
The seeds of broad beans should be sown 2 inch deep into the soil. Each seed should have a gap of at least 9 inches. These can be sown in double row with a gap of 9 inches between each row. After sowing the seeds water them adequately.
Now you will be concerned about how long does it take for the broad beans to grow. Well the answer is that these beans germinate in approximately 10 days.
When To Harvest Broad Beans
Broad beans should be harvested and when they are 3 inches long. You can even wait for a little longer and harvest them later. But make sure that when you harvest the seeds should be soft and pots well filled.
Best time to consume them is when the scar on the edge of the seed is white or green. If it has become black then the bean will become hard and chewy.
The most important thing to keep in mind while sowing any seed is that don’t be in a hurry to plant the seeds, wait till the weather becomes appropriate as all the seeds may not be suitable for all typed of weather.
Take proper care after the seeds germinate and protect them from insects and mice attack.
