Beans grow in either a bush form or vine on a pole. You need to know which type you have so you can properly support it.  Also, beans are harvested fresh or dried. The fresh ones include snap or shell beans. Snap beans are picked when the pod is slender and the bean is small. Shell beans are picked when the beans are plump.  You need to know which type you have so you can harvest them at the correct time!
First we are going to talk about two bush beans. Edamame and Calypso beans. Both can take up to 90 days to mature.
Edamame are also called soybeans and can be shell or dried beans. I am growing Butterbean Edamame from Botanical Interests. It has a sweet, nutty flavor. This plant will grow to two feet tall and each pod had two to three large beans in it. The outer pod is not edible. What is interesting about this plant is that you can pick some pods to cook as you need or pull the whole plant when the pods are plump and green to blanch and store in the freezer. Also, you can pull the whole plant when the pods are brown and completely dried. Then you remove the beans from the pod and store the beans in an airtight jar such as a canning jar.  My preference is to NOT dry them.
The Calypso Beans are also called Orca (whale) beans because of their black and white coloring and are also from Botanical Interests. While I have not grown this type of bean before, it is supposed to have a smooth texture and mild flavor. Each pod has 4 to 5 seeds in it. This plant can grow up to 18 inches tall. The pods from this plant are removed when they are dried and the beans are removed from the pod and stored just like the Edamame.
If your garden is in a windy area like mine, I would recommend that you gently tie the plant to a small pole for support to make sure the plant doesn’t fall over when it gets full of beans!
We will talk more about harvesting and cooking when it is time.
