Are you an adventurous type of gardener? Do you like growing
new varieties of vegetables each year? If this is the year to try a new type of
bean, consider growing French horticultural beans. These versatile beans are
one of those must-try varieties to put on your gardener’s bucket list.
What is a Horticultural Bean?
French horticultural beans are not a specific variety, but
rather a category or type of bean. (Other types of beans include snap, lima
and soybeans.)
Horticultural bean plants produce long, flat pods with large plump seeds. They
have a mild, nutty flavor and a beautiful color.
The attractive bean pods and plump seeds are one reason
horticultural beans are popular with gardeners and home cooks, especially in
France. Sometimes called cranberry
beans, horticultural bean plants produce pods and bean seeds which range in
color from white to cream with cranberry red speckles.
Growing Horticultural Beans
Planting and growing horticultural beans is not much
different than cultivating other types of beans. They are available in both pole
and bush
varieties. Like most beans,
it’s best to wait until the soil has warmed in the spring before direct seeding
horticultural beans into the garden. Sow seeds to a depth of 1 inch (2.5 cm.).
Space seeds 2 inches (5 cm.) apart or thin, if necessary, to
give plants sufficient room to mature. Pole varieties will need a trellis or
fence to climb. Space rows of bush-type beans 24 to 26 inches (60 to 66 cm.) apart
for ease with harvesting.
When to Pick Horticultural Beans
French horticultural beans can be picked when young and
tender and used as snap beans. The colorful pods become fibrous quickly, making
these beans more popular for use as shelling beans. Shelling beans are
generally harvested when the pods are mature, but still green. It takes most
varieties about 65 to 70 days to mature.
At this stage, the bean is still fresh and tender and
doesn’t require soaking like dried beans. Once harvested, the beans can be
easily shelled and cooked fresh in a variety of dishes. They maintain a firm
texture and are ideal in stews, soups and as baked beans.
Horticultural bean plants don’t generally produce the yields
seen in other types of beans. However, if gardeners find they have more fresh
beans than they can use, there are a variety of ways to preserve them.
Horticultural beans can be dried, canned or frozen. They can also be used in
youth craft projects, making these beans as fun as they are delicious!
