Over the years, I’ve learned that snap beans are one of the easiest and most rewarding crops to grow in a home garden. Whether you’re planting compact bush beans or climbing pole beans, they’re fast-growing, highly productive, and don’t require heavy feeding. I’ve grown snap beans in raised beds, containers, and traditional garden rows, and […] More
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Through hands-on experience in my home garden,, I’ve learned that timing the harvest just right makes all the difference in flavor and texture. Whether you’re picking crisp bush beans or tender pole beans, harvesting at the peak of freshness ensures the best taste. When picked young and firm, snap beans are sweet, juicy, and perfect […] More
I’ve found that growing beans in containers is one of the best ways to enjoy fresh, homegrown snap beans—especially if you’re short on garden space. Whether you have a balcony, patio, deck, or even a sunny indoor spot, beans thrive in pots with the right care. I’ve grown bush beans in large containers for quick […] More
Fresh, tender snap beans have a delicate flavor that is delicious eaten raw or just lightly cooked. Both the immature seeds and seed pods are edible. Green beans are snap beans, but snap beans can also be yellow, purple, and splotched in multiple colors. The peak season for fresh local snap beans is late spring […] More
Snap beans, also known as green beans or string beans, are a versatile and nutritious vegetable that can be preserved through canning to enjoy year-round. If you’re new to canning, this guide will walk you through the basics of safely and effectively canning snap beans at home. Let’s get started! Why Can Snap Beans? Canning […] More
Here is a simple recipe for les haricots verts à l’ail or green beans with garlic. Serve this simple side dish with pasta, chicken, steak, or salmon. This recipe comes from La Cuisine du Comté de Nice by Jacques Médecin. Médecin was the mayor of Nice and also a chef in that city for many […] More
I’ve grown beans in my garden for years, experimenting with different varieties to find the best flavors, yields, and growing conditions. Beans are legumes, meaning their seeds or pods are edible, but they aren’t classified as peas or lentils (which are also legumes). If you’ve ever split open a bean pod, you’ve likely noticed the […] More
Over the years, I’ve grown a wide range of snap beans in my home garden, testing different varieties to see which ones produce the best yields, resist pests, and have the best flavor. Whether you’re looking for a classic green bean, a vibrant purple variety, or a tender French-style bean, there’s a snap bean to […] More
Broad beans, also called fava beans, are a cool-season crop. The broad bean is a bushy, hardy annual that can grow from 3 to 4½ feet (.9-1.3m) tall. The broad bean has square stems with leaves divided into leaflets. Plant broad beans, also called fava beans, directly in the garden 4 to 7 weeks before […] More
Lima beans are tender annuals grown for their flat, crescent-oval-shaped seeds. There are two types of lima beans: bush and pole or vine varieties. Bush types grow to about 2 feet tall (.6m) and tend to have smaller seeds; they bear more quickly than pole lima bean varieties. Pole lima beans have large seeds and […] More
Soybeans are bushy, free-branching, warm-weather annuals. There are more than 10,000 soybean cultivars. Seeds can be smaller than a pea or as large as a kidney bean. Soybeans grow 12 to 36 inches (30-91cm) tall. Stems and leaves are hairy. The flowers are white with lavender shading. Pods grow 1 to 4 inches (2.5-10cm) long […] More
Stephen Albert