Growing long beans is a great way to harvest your own fresh green beans. These fast-growing warm-season legumes are easy to grow and produce a huge crop.
Chinese long beans (Vigna unguiculata), also called asparagus bean, yardlong bean or Chinese pea, are a cowpea-variant that taste like asparagus and produce stringsless pods of up to 3 feet in length.
Soil Preparation
When growing long beans, it is important to prepare the soil. Soil preparation helps improve soil structure and nutrient availability, as well as reduce the risk of pests and diseases.
A well-drained, rich, and organically improved soil is ideal for growing yardlong beans. Soil amendments such as compost and manure can increase nutrient availability, improve drainage, and correct poor soil texture.
Planting beans in well-drained soil that holds moisture near field capacity promotes optimum crop production and prevents water stress from root rot diseases. Regular watering during growth and flowering is critical for good pod quality.
Sow seeds about 1 inch deep and about 4 inches apart in rows adjacent to trellising for vine varieties, or directly in the ground for bush types. For trellis plants, mulch the area to keep weeds controlled and regulate moisture levels. Mulching also helps protect young seedlings from pests such as flea beetles, vegetable weevils, and leafminers.
Planting
When growing long beans, it is important to plant them at the correct time. This will ensure that you get the best taste and texture from them.
If you are planting in a container, it is recommended to fill up the pot with potting mix in the daytime and then sow the seeds at night in the warm soil. This will ensure that the seeds start germination quickly.
Then, support the bean plants from a stake once they reach 5 inches tall. Apply a low nitrogen fertilizer to boost their growth and yield.
Yardlong beans (Vigna unguiculata) live up to their name, as they are long-growing vines that produce edible pods. They are closely related to cowpeas and string beans, and they taste similar.
Fertilizing
When growing long beans, it is important to fertilize the soil well. This will help the plants withstand drought conditions and produce better-quality pods.
Most gardeners prefer to use granular fertilizers, which are easy to apply. They should be applied at a rate of 1 1/2 pounds per 100 square feet of the garden.
Then, water the soil so that the fertilizer dissolves into the soil and is absorbed by the roots. Once the soil is saturated, the plants will be ready to grow.
Beans and peas are legumes, which means they are adapted to fix nitrogen from the air on their roots. This natural adaptation reduces the need for additional fertilizer, but some gardeners still like to add fertilizer to their beds at planting.
For the best results, incorporate compost and complete fertilizer into the soil before planting your beans. Crop rotation is also helpful for beans and other legumes, because it helps keep pests and diseases away from previous crops.
Harvesting
The harvesting of crops happens after they have completed a stage of maturity. It involves the stages of reaping, threshing, cleaning, and hauling.
During the harvesting process, you can use different tools and machines. The modern harvesters are equipped with massive gears that cut, clean, and haul harvested grains.
Yardlong beans, sometimes called asparagus beans or Chinese long beans, are a favorite vegetable in tropical and subtropical regions. They grow quickly and fruit vigorously.
They have thin, edible pods that are long and come in green, purple, and a shiny red color. They are a delicious addition to stir-fry dishes or can be eaten raw.
They can be used in Szechwan-style Chinese cooking and can be seasoned with pork, ginger, nuts, fermented black beans, garlic, strong herbs, soy sauce, and chili peppers. They are also a good source of vitamins A, C, and potassium.