Beans
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Harvesting, Storing, and Cooking Snap Beans: A Gardener’s Guide
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
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A Guide to Growing Snap Beans in Containers
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
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in How to Grow, Legumes, Plant
How to Plant, Grow, and Harvest Broad Beans, Fava Beans
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
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in How to Grow, Legumes, Plant
How to Plant, Grow, and Harvest Lima Beans
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
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All About Dried Beans — Growing and Cooking
Dried beans are cooked and served in many ways–in salads, soups, casseroles, stews, and chilis. Dried beans can be served alone or as a side dish with meat or pasta or rice. Dried beans are commonly boiled and then sometimes baked or refried. Dried beans are beans whose seeds are dried and shelled after reaching […] More
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Five Ways to Quick Cook and Serve Snap Beans
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
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Shell Beans Serving Tips
Shell beans are any members of the legume family that are shucked or shelled. All beans grow in pods. Shell beans are cooked and served after they have been shelled. The pod is not eaten. Shell beans include black-eyed peas, cranberry beans, fava beans, and lima beans. Shell beans are also called shellies, shellouts, shelly […] More
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Five Ways to Cook and Serve Fava Beans
The fava bean—which is also known as the broad bean, English bean, Windsor bean, and horsebean–can be eaten fresh or dried. As fava beans mature, their flavor grows increasingly starchy and strong. The smallest beans—less than the size of a small fingernail—are the sweetest. The outer skins of medium- and large-sized fava beans have a […] More
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Common Bean Pests and Diseases: What Every Gardener Should Know
Whether you’re growing pole beans, bush beans, lima beans, mung beans, scarlet runner beans, asparagus beans, or southern peas, you’ll quickly realize that all these crops share common gardening challenges. Over the years of growing a variety of beans in my garden, I’ve encountered a range of pests and diseases that can threaten the health […] More
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How to Cook and Serve Chickpeas
Chickpeas can be boiled, sauteed, roasted, and baked. They can be added to stews and turned into hummus. Chickpeas can be used in appetizers, mixed salads, and soups. The nutty flavor and creamy texture of the chickpea make it a robust and hearty addition to many dishes. The chickpea is a staple in cookery throughout […] More
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Snap Bean Seed Starting Tips: Prooven Methods for a Bountiful Harvest
Starting snap beans (also called green beans) from seed is one of the easiest and most rewarding ways to grow fresh, crisp beans right in your backyard. I’ve grown snap beans for years, experimenting with different soil preparations, planting depths, and watering techniques to get the best germination rates and healthiest plants. In this guide, […] More
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Corn, Beans, and Squash: The Three Sisters
Sometimes one vegetable crop can help another vegetable crop grow better just by being nearby. For example lettuce and spinach often grow better in the shade of a taller plant. Growing two or more crops in close proximity for a shared benefit is called companion planting. A classic planting of three garden companions is corn, […] More
Stephen Albert
