Shell Beans

This winter as you are perusing the seed catalogs take a moment to consider growing shell beans.  Green or snap beans are picked when the pods are young and tender, while shell beans are allowed to grow to maturity and the dried seed is used.  Green or snap beans are considered a vegetable and shell beans are in the legume category.

Three quarts of dried shell beans.

Shell beans are a great addition to the vegetable garden as they are easy to grow and a good source of protein.  Beans can be planted in the spring and harvested at your convenience in the fall.  

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Finding fresh dried beans at the grocery store is hit or miss.  Dried beans that are too old are the primary cause of beans that stay hard no matter how long they are cooked.  It is impossible to know the age of the beans when you buy them in bulk.

Shell beans can be either bush or pole types.  Bush beans grow in a short mound shape, while pole beans climb up a support.  Bush beans usually blossom and form beans faster, as pole beans spend a good number of weeks climbing the trellis before blossoming.

Pole beans growing on the fence surrounding the blueberry patch.

If your garden space is limited pole beans are a great way to use your vertical space; you can grow them next to a fence, on a trellis, or at the base of a corn stalk.  If you are growing greens over the summer months a trellis of bean plants can provide welcome shade for these cool weather crops.

Beans also enrich your garden soil with nitrogen which they "fix" with their roots, making this essential nutrient available for other plants.  They are especially helpful in beds where high nitrogen users (such as corn) are growing or have recently been grown.

Pole beans shade the greens growing below.

A rebar structure supports over 6' of climbing beans in 2015.

Super long shell bean pods - 2015 was a good year for beans!

Growing Beans

Plant bean seeds in the spring when the danger of frost has passed.  Seeds should be spaced 4 - 6 inches apart and about 1/2 deep in loose soil.  Keep the soil moist to aid germination.  Once the plants have emerged, the next challenge is keeping the rabbits and deer from eating the fresh new growth. At this stage covering the beans with netting or floating row covers can protect them from critter damage.

Once the plants begin to bloom make sure the netting or row cover is removed so the bees and other pollinators can get to the blossoms.  Beans will start to form and can be picked small and eaten as snap beans.  As you pick the beans, more blossoms will form and those can be left on the plant to develop into shell beans.

Tongue of Fire shell beans.

Harvesting

Once the seeds inside the pods are fully formed and dried you can pick the beans.  To expedite the process pick the entire plant  after a frost which has turned the plant brown.  Place the dry pods, plant and all in burlap bags and allow them to continue to dry.  The beans should be packed very loosely to allow air flow.

Burlap bags loosely stuffed with dried bean plants.

When time allows (no rush) separate the bean seeds from the pods. The first year I grew shell beans I removed each pod and opened it by hand - it took forever and was not an efficient use of time or energy.  Then I discovered winnowing.

Winnowing is the process of removing the dried plant material from the bean seeds using moving air. Check out my Winnowing Shell Beans post for detailed instructions.