Why Grow Your Own Dry Beans?
When planning your garden, space is usually limited and fresh vegetables are usually on the list of things to plant. Rarely, however, do most people think of growing their own dry beans. They aren’t expensive at the store and unlike the organic section at the grocery store, you don’t hear much about the growing practices in modern farming.
Almost all beans are sprayed with pesticides when grown commercially. Navy beans, like what’s used in baked beans are sprayed. Pinto beans that are used for refried beans are sprayed. Even the chickpeas (garbanzo beans) that are used for hummus are sprayed with pesticides. In fact, soybeans are the second most heavily pesticide sprayed crop in the world. Only corn uses more pesticides. According to EWG, glyphosphate is found in 60% of conventional beans tested.
Hopefully, growing your own beans is starting to sound a little more appealing. In this post, I’ll go over how long it takes to grow beans, how much room you need, what types to plant and much more.
What Types Of Beans To Grow
Many, many bean varieties exist and your own taste and texture preferences will ultimately determine what beans you want to grow. If you like tofu, soybeans will be a good option. I like to grow pinto beans and navy beans in my garden for my dry bean needs. This year, I might add soybeans, but I’ll have to see how much space I have once everything is all planned out.
I recommend getting heirloom varieties of beans because you can save a handful of beans to plant the next year. Sometimes, you can find a friend or neighbor who has a bean variety that has been passed down many generations and they might be willing to share a few beans with you. These beans can be really fun to grow because they’re unique and can’t be found in any store.
How Much Space Do You Need?
Growing dry beans, like anything else, will take up a bit of space in your garden. There are two varieties of beans, when it comes to how they grow. Pole beans will climb up a pole and can spread out on a trellis very well. Bush beans won’t climb a pole, but they do bush out quite a bit, keeping the beans close together and easy to find and harvest. There are definite advantages to each type, but if space is a real concern, try to find climbing varieties of the beans you want to grow.
One nice thing about growing beans is that they are great for the soil. Beans are one of the few plants that will actually help replenish the nitrogen in the soil rather than simply deplete it. If you’ve been growing nitrogen hungry plants in an area for a while, it might be time to grow some dry beans there this season.
How Long To Expect Before Harvest
The amount of time you need depends on the type of bean you’re growing, but pinto beans will take 90-150 days before they’re ready for harvest. You can pick them earlier for fresh green bean eating, but for dry beans, you need to wait a while.
Navy beans take around 80-100 days to grow. Soybeans are at 100-130 days. You get the idea. Your beans are going to take a while, so depending on what area you live in, you might need to dedicate a bean area for the whole year. In other areas, you might be able to get two bean harvests in each year. It all depends on the variety you grow and where you live.
How To Tell When Beans ARe REady
Beans are ready for harvest when the shells are hard and dry. The bean pods will be the color of straw and will be quite brittle. I’ve found that not every bean pod on a single plant will be ready at the same time. Sometimes, I pick the pods as they become ready. Other times, I leave the plant alone until all the pods are ready and then just pull the entire plant. It all depends on how much time I have.
Once you’ve harvested the beans, they will still need a little time to properly dry out. Put them in a paper bag and leave them in a warm, dry place for a couple of weeks. Then, test them for hardness by shelling one and pressing your finger nail into the bean. If you leave a mark on the bean, it’s not ready. The beans should be hard enough that you won’t leave a mark. Once they are, they’re ready for long term storage.
Long Term Storage For Dry Beans
Dry beans are known for their long shelf life. As long as they are properly dried, you’ll be able to store your beans for a very, very long time. The first year I tried growing beans, I didn’t have enough to do anything substantial with them. So I saved them for the next year. I could easily have saved them for five or ten years and still felt comfortable knowing they were safe to eat.
To store your dry beans, I recommend either keeping them in breathable bags, like burlap, or vacuum sealing them in mason jars. If you are prone to rodent infestations, I recommend the jars, for obvious reasons.
This year is a great year to start growing your own beans and getting even further away from the harmful farming practices of modern food production. Little by little, you can become completely self-sufficient when it comes to your nutritional needs. What a great feeling to know you can grow your own food!
