Common bean Aiguillon

The Prickle String Bean is a high-yielding variety intended to be consumed when very young or tender to fully enjoy its taste qualities. The sowing period ranges from April to July, with a harvest from June to October. Its dark green pods can reach 18 to 20 cm (7 to 8in) in length, and they are long, slender, and round in cross-section. The Prickle String Bean is suitable for cultivation in greenhouses or open fields. It is resistant to viruses and anthracnose. The yield of a Prickle String Bean is approximately 5 to 7kg/m². The botanical name of this bean is Phaseolus vulgaris Prickle.

Whether consumed for its pod or its seed, the bean is a highly appreciated vegetable in gardens due to its easy cultivation. It is so punctual that gardeners can accurately predict the date of their first harvest, which occurs 60 days after sowing.

Discovered in the New World and acclimated in Europe from the 16th century onwards, the bean has now become an essential legume in diets worldwide. Native Americans cultivated it for its dried seeds, but it was the Italians who, in the 18th century, popularized the consumption of the whole immature pod.

The bean is a vine with indeterminate growth. Primitive varieties are all climbing and require support. Later, for practical reasons, dwarf varieties were selected, but they all have tendrils that can wrap around a support. The pods are generally green, sometimes yellow (butter beans), striped with red, or even amethyst. Among the varieties that are eaten when tender or extra tender, there are the string beans that develop threads when fully ripe. Afterwards, the pod becomes parchment-like and loses its taste quality. The snap bean is generally fleshier and can be consumed entirely, both the seeds and pods, even when fully ripe. The more recently created string-snap beans can be consumed when young and extra tender until they become fleshier, like a snap bean, as they do not develop threads.

Among the shelling varieties (where only the seeds are consumed), we distinguish between harvesting fresh beans and dry beans, with the latter occurring 90 days after sowing.

Immature green pods are rich in vitamins A, B9, and C, as well as trace elements and minerals. Dry beans are also very rich in vitamin C, trace elements, and especially plant-based proteins.

Harvest: The harvest of fresh beans or young pods begins 60 days after sowing. For fresh beans, it should be done before the pods start to dehydrate and develop wrinkles. The beans should barely take on their color. For pod consumption, the harvest should take place every 2 or 3 days when at the tender or extra tender stage for string beans. The harvest of dry beans should be done by completely cutting the plant, which should then be hung in a dry and well-ventilated place. The beans can be shelled as needed.

Storage: Freezing the pods is currently the most common method of preservation. To do this, remove the ends, wash the pods, blanch them for 5 to 6 minutes in boiling water, then immerse them in cold water before drying them with a clean cloth. Once placed in bags, the beans can be stored in the freezer at -18°C. However, canning is regaining popularity among an increasing number of consumers due to the taste qualities associated with this preservation method. Like freezing, remove the ends, wash and blanch the beans, then immerse them in cold water. Place them in jars and fill them with salted boiling water. Close the jars and sterilize them in a pressure cooker or with a sterilizer for 1 hour and 30 minutes over medium heat. To do this, completely cover the jars with water after sealing them tightly.

Dry beans: When completely dry, bean seeds can be stored for up to a year if kept in good conditions, such as in airtight jars.

Gardener's tip: Beans, like all members of the Fabaceae family, have the ability to fix nitrogen from the air in the soil through a plant-bacteria symbiosis. They have the ability to regenerate soils. Beans can be included in crop rotations after burying green manure. In Central and South America, beans are traditionally associated with squash and corn, forming a positive triad. This association is locally known as Milpa. Beans also associate well with eggplants, carrots, cabbage, potatoes, and radishes, as they mutually protect each other. However, avoid planting them near alliums or fennel, as their growth will be inhibited.

A spray of nettle manure effectively combats aphid attacks and strengthens the plants that benefit from it.

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