Snake beans

Regular green beans are a popular summer crop for gardeners in temperate areas, but if you’re in the hot tropics or subtropics, you can forget it! All is not lost, though, because snake beans thrive in the heat, and they are easy to grow. Hailing from South-East Asia, they won’t let you down in wet, humid conditions either, as long as the soil is well drained.

Snake beans are prolific bearers, too, and crop over a long period. The beans themselves are long – really long – and are sometimes called yard-long beans. I normally pick them when they are half to three-quarters their full size, otherwise I end up with more beans than I can deal with. And they’re more tender and versatile when small. You can eat them steamed, stir-fried or chopped up raw in salads, or add them to Asian-style soups and curries.

They like full sun to semi-shade with protection from strong wind. Direct-sowing is the best way to get them started. They don’t need a lot of feeding. I just add some fresh compost to the soil. They’ll grow in large pots, too, filled with a good quality mix that has some fertiliser added. Before you sow, set up something for them to climb on – a teepee, trellis, some wires, or whatever you have. They’re vigorous, so the support needs to be about 2m high.

You won’t always find snake bean seed at your local garden centre, so call them first, or try one of the many online seed suppliers. Moisten the soil and drop one or two seeds into holes 2.5cm deep and 30cm apart. Water well, then don’t water again until they germinate (3–5 days).

Once they’re up and running, keep the plants moist, and prepare for your first harvest in about 8–10 weeks.