Green beans are the common food of every family, but few people know about their health benefits. It is rich in vitamins and nutrients, which can build up resistance, strengthen skeletal muscle, and contribute to dieting.
However, despite having succeeded in growing, you do not know when the beans are ripe and how to pick green beans in the right way. If you are, then continue with our organic lawn guides today to find out the easiest and fastest way to grow and harvest them!
Benefits of Green Beans
Immune System Strengthening
The antioxidants in green beans will help kill free radicals and prevent many other diseases, including cancer.
Green beans contain quercetin and kaempferol, which are very effective in preventing cardiovascular disease.
Dieting
Fiber-rich foods require more chewing, so more saliva and gastric juice are produced, making the stomach expand and diners feel full. Thus, green beans salad is a great option for people who want to lose weight and fat.
When Your Green Beans Are Ready To Pick
Once you have understood its advantages, then it is obviously to take in free of chemicals green and fresh beans. But how can you know when it is time gardeners harvested the green beans for the best quality? Here are some factors that can help you.
Normally, gardeners can get ready to harvest green beans after 50 – 60 days of planting, depending on the breed they are growing.
Color
The easiest way to detect the right time to pick green beans is through its color. As the name suggests, the color of green beans should be green, preferably bright green.
On the contrary, if the color is pale green, then it is too early and you should wait for more time. Meanwhile, if your green beans are dark green and becoming yellow, it may be too tough or stringy to eat, and thus, the seeds inside can be used for the next growing season.
Growth
Another way to determine when to pick green beans is to keep an eye on its growth. Since the day you plant the bean seeds, it will take a couple of months for the seedlings to emerge. Then, the green beans will gradually grow and the pods will appear just after a short time.
At the time the pods appear, as the beans grow very rapidly, gardeners should pay attention to the plants in order to harvest them in the perfect condition.
Related post: When To Pick Banana Peppers?
Size
A mature green bean plant can produce up to 4-inch pods. However, it would be best to pick green beans when they are 2 inches long. Otherwise, you may have to suffer from stringy beans.
Flexibility
Young green beans tend to be more flexible and soft than mature ones. Thus, when you gently bend a pod, if it is firm enough, it will create a sound of snapping. And that is why green beans are also called “snap beans”.
How to Pick Green Beans
The best time of the day to pick green beans is in the morning, especially at 9 a.m. This is when the dew from the night still covers the pods, making it cool for the best flavor.
- Step 1: Grab the green beans firmly at the rip, right where they meet the plant.
- Step 2: Gently hold the stem to support it and prevent it from breaking.
- Step 3: Carefully pull the beans off from the plant.
- Step 4: Place all the green beans pods in a breathable plastic bag to take them home.
Do Green Beans Regrow After Picking?
The answer is yes. Some green beans breeds can have a long life cycle and produce multiple crops. For example, Blue Lake bush beans can continue to grow and flower up to 3 times during its life cycle.
However, the important thing is that you should not pick any green beans during the time they are flowering. Instead, you should only harvest them after they have stopped flowering. (You can watch more about the instructions here.
What to Do with Green Beans after Picking?
If you can’t grow green beans by yourself, you can go to the farm to pick fresh green beans. But please remember to call the farm before you come if you do not want to pick them in a muddy field.
After doing the picking, you should categorize the green beans into 2 types, one for immediate cooking and one for storage. The first type is those with a little dark green color, while the second type comes in a bright green color.
For the first type, there are many delicious recipes like green bean casserole or green bean salad.
For the second type, you can freeze them for long-term storage.
- Step 1: Wash the newly picked green beans under cold or room temperature water. This is to remove all the dirt and residue from the pods.
- Step 2: Use a kitchen knife to trim one-fourth of the ends of the bean pods.
- Step 3: Cut the green beans into the desired size.
- Step 4: Boil the water and put the green beans in the pot for 3 to 5 minutes. The amount of water depends on the number of green beans you are blanching, as long as all the pods are soaked completely in the water.
- Step 5: Prepare a bowl of ice water and soak all the blanched green beans to stop the boiling process.
- Step 6: Drain the green beans and put all of them in sealed plastic bags.
- Step 7: Put the bags in the freezer. Remember to check them regularly in case they start to rot.
Frozen green beans can last up to 6 months. However, from the third month, the nutrients in them start to lose. Thus, it is recommended that you consume all of the frozen pods within 3 months for the best nutrition.
Next post: How Long Do Carrots Last After Harvest?
Conclusion
There are many green bean recipes and with proper plant care, you can easily grow them around the year in your vegetable garden. They also can regrow after picking.
And if you are new to growing this plant, don’t worry too much! They require an absolutely easy method of pinching. Hopefully, with our organic gardening guides on how to pick green beans, you can accomplish this! Break a leg!
Source: Gardening 101