Tips for harvesting dried beans | Gardening 101 | Gardening Australia

Dried beans are nutritious and delicious! Hannah’s got her finger on the pulse and shows us how to harvest and store them. Subscribe 🔔 http://ab.co/GA-subscribe
Legumes, like peas and beans, are staples in the vegie garden. Sweet and crunchy when eaten raw, the beans we eat fresh are young whole pods. While the seeds are still developing inside, they’re palatable and juicy. When they have dried, they’re the mature seed. Legumes such as chickpeas, kidney beans or broad beans often dried before eating. They’re packed with protein so however you eat them, they’re a great plant to grow at home.

When to harvest dried beans:
Hannah grows an heirloom variety called Cherokee Trail of Tears. It’s a type of pole-bean, so it grows quite tall. You can eat the beans young and fresh, or if left to dry they produce lots of mid-size, shiny, black beans. The pods of this variety will turn purple as they mature, which is a great indicator that they’re almost ready. When the plant starts to die back, and its leaves turn yellow brown – that’s time to start harvesting!

Now is the time to choose the best-looking pulse to save as seed for next season’s crop! Make sure the beans have fully matured and are completely dry while attached to the plant. A great way to tell is by shaking the seed pod – you’ll hear the beans rattling inside when ready. If you live in humid conditions, you can avoid the risk of rot or fungal attacks by harvesting the beans earlier and allowing them to dry for a longer time off the plant.

Storing beans:
Leave your pods in a cool, dry spot or hang them up in the shed to continue hardening. Make sure they’re completely dry before storing them in an airtight container and keep it in a cool, dry space – like a pantry. Dried beans will store well this way for years and can be used as seed or of course, a great feed. Soak them overnight before cooking in a range of delicious dishes.

Plan to plant more:
If you’re starting out with only a few plants, don’t expect to harvest a large amount to dry and store straight away. Take this time to have fun and experiment with different cultivars and what works on your site with your soil type. Other popular options that are great for drying are Scarlet Runner, broad beans and Pigeon Pea, and depending on the climate and variety you’re harvesting, you might be able to plant these sooner rather than later.

Featured Beans and Peas:
BEAN ‘CHEROKEE TRAIL OF TEARS’ – Phaseolus vulgaris cv.
BEAN ‘SCARLET RUNNER’ – Phaseolus coccineus cv.
BROAD BEAN – Vicia faba cv.
PIGEON PEA – Cajanus cajan cv.
___________________________________________

Gardening Australia is an ABC TV program providing gardening know-how and inspiration. Presented by Australia’s leading horticultural experts, Gardening Australia is a valuable resource to all gardeners through the television program, the magazine, books, DVDs and extensive online content.

Watch more: http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/gardening-australia
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gardeningaustralia
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gardeningaustralia
Web: http://www.abc.net.au/gardening
___________________________________________

Gardening Australia is an ABC TV program providing gardening know-how and inspiration. Presented by Australia’s leading horticultural experts, Gardening Australia is a valuable resource to all gardeners through the television program, the magazine, books, DVDs and extensive online content.

Watch more: http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/gardening-australia
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gardeningaustralia
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gardeningaustralia
Web: http://www.abc.net.au/gardening

___________________________________________

This is an official Australian Broadcasting Corporation YouTube channel. Contributions may be removed if they violate ABC’s Online Conditions of Use http://www.abc.net.au/conditions.htm (Section 3).