GROWING BEANS
Beans are the quiet magicians of the garden—twisting their way skyward on curling vines or standing proudly with sturdy pods. They ask for little more than warmth, a sunny corner, and something to climb or lean against. In return, they gift you handfuls of tender pods and richly patterned seeds, the sort you’ll want to scatter back into the soil again next year.
HOW TO
-
French & Green Beans - Slim, elegant, and quick to appear, these beans love a sunny patch with well-drained soil. Sow them after the last frost, tucking the seeds a few centimetres deep, and give them a wigwam of canes or a simple trellis to explore. Pick them often while the pods are young and glossy—they’ll reward you with more. Their flavour is light and crisp, like a bite of summer itself.
-
Borlotti Beans - As the season deepens, borlotti pods begin to blush with marbled pinks and creams, as though painted by hand. Sow them as you would French beans, but let them ripen fully for their speckled seeds. Shell them fresh for a creamy stew, or dry them for jars and winter soups. They are as beautiful to look at as they are nourishing to eat.
-
Broad Beans The first beans of the year, sown as early as autumn in milder places or in spring when the soil can be worked. Their upright plants bear soft, fragrant flowers, a promise of the plump pods to follow. Broad beans enjoy cool weather and sturdy soil, and they benefit from pinching out the top shoots once flowers appear—this keeps blackfly at bay and encourages more pods. Their earthy sweetness pairs beautifully with herbs from the early garden—mint, parsley, and chives.
A Note for All Beans
-
Beans delight in growing together—whether climbing or dwarf, painted or plain. Give them sunshine, a little shelter from strong winds, and keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. With regular picking and gentle care, they’ll keep offering their gifts all season long. And when you shell the last pod in autumn, save a few seeds—each one a promise of next summer’s harvest.