Beans

If you're a passionate gardener, these legumes are your secret ingredient for healthy and delicious meals. Each of these varieties has a rich history and a flavour profile like no other.

Beans are frost-sensitive and prefer full sun. Well-improved soil will provide superior crops.

Best grown by direct seeding 10-15 days after your last frost date. Plant seeds directly where they are to grow 2.5-3cm deep. Individual plant spacing is 30-40cm and 40cm between rows. Germination takes 7-10 days. Soil temps should be above 13ºC, otherwise, seed may rot in the ground. Bush beans will be the first to produce and you can start harvesting early varieties from about 50-55 days. Pole beans take a while longer and will produce from around 65+ days.

Broad Beans: A.k.a. fava beans. A bush variety needing support. Enjoys cooler weather and can tolerate mild frost. Best planted in autumn or early spring.

Bush Beans: A.k.a. dwarf beans. Very quick and rewarding crop. Produces early, with flushes of sweet, tender beans. Plant after the last frost.

Pole Beans: These are climbing beans that require support in order to climb. The more often their pods are picked, the more they produce.

Runner Beans: A productive bean that requires support to climb. Best picked young. These beans require stringing yet more than make up for the effort with exceptional flavour.

Lima Beans: A.k.a. butter beans. Very productive, rambling, bushy plants. Requires a long, warm season to produce. Mainly used as shelly or dry beans.