It’s the year of the garden bean
One of the interesting byproducts of the pandemic was a notable upswing in home gardening.
How popular was gardening? I’ve been penning a gardening column since 1999, and when I tried to research seed availability for a column last March, I found the websites were locked up — seed growers were apparently flooded with so many orders that they were forced to suspend mail orders to the general public, at least until orders to commercial growers and farmers could be fulfilled.
First-time and long-time gardeners alike wanted to try their hands at growing vegetables — we saw the re-emergence of the Victory Garden. In a time of uncertainty and shortages (toilet paper, seriously?) growing a row of lettuce, a few tomatoes, pots of herbs, or a patch of beans, offered a feeling of control.
With extra time on hand (no travel, many people working from home) gardening was convenient (you just had to step outside your door), and best of all, gardening gave people a chance to reconnect with nature.
Last year, more vegetables were introduced into our home garden: Eggplant, red pepper, lettuce, carrots, heirloom tomatoes and yellow beans. One of my most satisfying crops was a patch of yellow wax beans, grown in a half-barrel on the patio.
Until last year, I was bean-challenged. The bunnies would eat the bean sprouts as quickly as they appeared in the garden, but growing beans in a container solved that problem.
In 2021, the National Garden Bureau (ngb.org) is featuring the humble bean as its vegetable. Let’s take a closer look:
One of the earliest cultivated plants, garden beans can trace their beginnings to Central and South America. Vining or climbing beans were an original member of the “Three-sisters” — a companion planting of the first domesticated crops of maize, winter squash, and climbing beans. These became the three main agricultural crops used for trade and food for Indigenous North Americans.
Green beans were once referred to as string beans due to the long fibrous thread along the pod seams. The first stringless green bean was developed in1894 by Calvin Keeney who later became known as the “Father of the stringless bean”. Breeders continue to breed this stringless trait into modern genetics. Other desirable traits include dark green succulent pods, good bean flavour, concentrated fruit set, stress tolerance, and disease resistance.
Basic Types of Garden Beans
The common garden bean is anything but common! Green beans or ‘snap’ beans as they are also referred to come in a variety of flavours, pod shapes, sizes and a colourful pallet including shades of green, purple, yellow and speckled bi-colours.
Bush beans are the workhorse of the garden and the mainstay in the kitchen. Bush beans are compact and fit well into both small garden patches or patio containers fitted with cages
Pole beans with their vining habits and can be trained up poles, trellises, netting, or supportive structures such as a teepee. With proper support pole beans can also be grown in containers.
Filet beans or Haricots Vert (French green beans) are distinguished by elegant ultra-slim pods. Due to their delicate appearance, Filet beans are gaining in popularity with foodies and chefs. Filet beans come in both bush and pole bean types.
Dried or shelling beans are grown for their edible seeds rather than edible pods. Pinto beans, kidney beans, and black beans fall into this category.
Garden Beans Growing Tips
Beans are warm-weather vegetables and are best planted after soil temperatures reach 21 deg.c.
Avoid sowing too early in the season. Cool wet soils can lead to rot.
Beans thrive with at least eight hours of daily sun, moderate fertility, and well-drained soil.
Beans have shallow roots, weed carefully to prevent damage to the root system.
Mulch the soil around the bean plant; consistent moisture results in the highest quality harvests.
Quick to mature, harvests can begin 50 to 60 days after sowing.
Bush beans typically grow 30 to 60 cm tall and produce harvests for about three weeks.
Succession sowing of bush beans every two or three weeks will produce delicious beans all season.
Pole beans have a long harvest season, generally lasting about six to eight weeks.
Harvest frequently to encourage pod production.
Pole beans can quickly grow a lush privacy wall around porches or patios.
Create a living fort with pole beans for a fun play space.
Yellow wax beans lack chlorophyll and will retain their beautiful golden colour when cooked.
Purple beans contain anthocyanins (the purple pigment) that disappear when beans are cooked.
Garden Beans Harvesting Tips
Pick beans when pods are young and tender, just before the seeds begin to swell. Beans will “snap” when you bend and break them. If they are immature, they won’t snap!
Fresh unwashed beans should remain fresh for up to a week when stored in a reusable container or plastic bag in the refrigerator.
Versatile in culinary preparation, garden beans can be eaten raw, steamed, boiled, stir-fried, grilled, or baked. For the best eating experience, cooked beans should still have a crisp texture and an appetizing bright green or yellow colour. Serve with a pat of butter and squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Theresa Forte is an award winning garden columnist, photographer and speaker. You can reach her by calling 905-351-7540 or by email fortegardens@gmail.com.