How To Grow Beans In Garden Organically
Beans are quite possibly the most popular of green vegetables, even with young kids and with some great heirloom varieti to choose from, they're actually not all green
Common or green beans have been a staple on Australian dinner plates for generations and for good reason. They're easy to grow, jam-packed with protein, dietary fibre and disease-fighting antioxidants and they climb (unless you plant bush varieties), so they don't take up much ground space in the garden. In the kitchen they can be grilled, steamed, added to a casserole, combined with toasted garlic and roasted almonds or stir-fried to add a bit of Asian-inspired flair.
Varieties In Beans Organic Farming
'Blue Lake' has been a garden favourite since 1885. It's one of those round, stringless dark-green climbing beans that gives it all, producing masses of tasty beans over a long season. The pods are plump, long and tasty, so try serving them lightly steamed with a dipping sauce as a healthy alternative to chips.
The 'Lazy Housewife' bean has been gracing gardens and tables since it was first introduced in 1802. Despite its outdated name, it's an old-fashioned variety with modern appeal. The thick green beans are fleshy and stringless and grow in clusters, so they are easy to pick. Plus, the plant is incredibly productive, so you get bundles of beans all summer long.
In the beauty stakes, the climbing bean 'Purple King' is a real standout with attractive dark-pink blooms.followed by vibrant purple beans, which look as good in the garden as they do on the plate. Sow the seeds and you'll be harvesting a hefty crop 13 weeks later. Just don't overcook them or they'll lose their attractive purple colour.
Climbing 'Rattlesnake' beans are drop-dead gorgeous, too, with striking purple-splashed green beans that resemble the patterned skin of a rattlesnake. They grow to 2m tall, so you'll need to provide some kind of sturdy support for them to climb over.
Why not add a splash of sunshine to the garden with climbing bean, 'Australian Butter'. These long, round, golden-yellow beans are so tender and buttery that you can enjoy them without any embellishment. The plant also features pretty mauve flowers and deep-purple seeds, which make a wonderful contrast to the buttery pods.
Bush or dwarf beans produce high yields on a compact plant. If you're after a bush bean that's both decorative and productive, you might like to try growing 'Dragon's Tongue'. This Dutch heirloom is tasty and tender, with decorative lemon-coloured pods that are streaked with purple. Get it into the ground now and you'll be picking delicious pods in just nine weeks.
Bush bean 'Black Valentine' has stood the test of gardening time, having been grown since 1897. It produces long green pods with distinctive black seeds. Enjoy the beans fresh or use the dried seeds to make a hearty soup.
'Royal Burgundy' is another decorative bush variety worthy of a place in your kitchen garden and on the plate. It displays round stringless purple pods on a bush just 45cm tall. Pop them in a pot of boiling water and watch them turn green like magic - just make sure the kids are watching and they'll think you're a wizard in the kitchen!
Gradening Tips To Grow Beans Organically
Green beans are fast-growing annuals that can be grown in spring (after frost), summer and autumn in cool and temperate areas, and autumn, winter and spring in subtropical and tropical climes.They need full sun and good drainage. so sow into damp, well-prepared soil. Bean seeds can easily rot out in the soil, so back off watering until the young seedlings poke through. Climbing beans need a support. Beans enjoy regular water through the growing season, especially when flowering.
Harvesting Tips To Grow Beans Organically
The best time to pick green and bush beans is when they are young and tender. If you can see the seeds inside the pod, you've waited too long, unless you're planning to harvest the seeds for soups or dry and save the seed. Fresh beans should snap easily when broken but, if left too long, the pods become tough and stringy. Pick your beans regularly to promote more blooms and a bumper crop.
"The best time to pick green and bush beans is when they are young and tender. If you can see the seeds inside the pod, you've waited too long."
Scientific Details Of Beans
- Common names: Common beans, climbing beans, pole beans, bush beans
- Botanical name: Phaseolus vulgaris
- Family: Fabaceae (pea or bean family)
- Likes: Full sun; rich, well-drained soil
- Dislikes: Frost, wind, sandy soils
- Climate: All
- Propagation: Seed, seedling
- Difficulty: Easy