Beans
@belindayhughes (1096)
United States
February 17, 2013 11:45pm CST
Beans are fun to grow in your garden. When planning to include beans in your garden, you'll need to choose either bushy or pole type beans. If you choose pole beans, you'll want to install a trellis system for support and air circulation before planting your beans. Some beneficial herbs to plant at the feet of your beans are catnip and nasturtiums. They help deter pests from bothering your beans. Catnip can also be shared with your cats and nasturtium blossoms can be tossed into salads, along with your garden fresh beans. Beans are favored worldwide and throughout history as a protein source. Soybeans are famous for having the most protein, as well as phytoestrogens, which are said to aid in balancing hormones. Most beans need warm weather conditions. However, if you live in a cold climate and need high protein beans, count on fava beans. Garbanzo beans are bushy, nutty, versatile beans often used in soups and salads. There are more beans than I have time to discuss here. Suffice to say that there's a type of bean for everyone who wants to grow them.
2 responses
@jambi462 (4576)
• United States
18 Feb 13
I grew two different kinds of beans last year and they were rattlesnake beans and garden royal beans. I really liked both of these varieties because they both had some purple colorations and purple is my favorite color. The rattlesnake beans I had been given by a guy that ran a seed bank who also gave me a bunch of different varieties of tomatoes to grow. They looked awesome because they were white beans with purple stripes on them and they tasted so good raw.
Beans seemed to grow really good for me and I live in northern Michigan. I planted a good amount of them in the shade but they still got some sunlight and they seemed to grow pretty darn well. I even got a couple of different harvests out of them too.
1 person likes this
@belindayhughes (1096)
• United States
18 Feb 13
That's great, jambi. You are lucky to have a friend at a seed bank who shares beans so generously with you, and that your bean crops are so productive. I'm in 8b Louisiana and just learning to grow beans. I think one of my beans from last year fell into the soil, because I have not yet started any beans this season and something that looks like a bean is reaching up from the soil, with its head to its toes. None of my other current plants have that posture. lol If we're not yet friends, please friend me, so we can share tips and links more often.
@subhojit10 (7375)
• India
18 Feb 13
Thanks a ton for sharing this discussion. Well i am glad to know about the information u have shared regarding beans and i think there are so many benefits associated with beans not only from the health point of view but also from the monetary point of view. we just need to understand and take the advantage of these beans so that they are beneficial for us.
What say?
1 person likes this
@belindayhughes (1096)
• United States
18 Feb 13
Hey subhojit! Yoiu made me think of something. I don't know if beans have been targeted by those in favor of genetically modified foods, such as corn, but if so, we certainly need to protect beans from that, and require labeling if the beans have been modified.
