Decorative beans - a delicious decoration of the site. Decorative curly beans and its cultivation from seeds (with photo)

At the word beans, a person intuitively imagines a leguminous culture in front of him, which has been used for food since ancient times. But it turns out that there is a type of bean that can still be used in decorative purposes, such a plant is popular and well known to almost all gardeners and flower growers. The beans of the ornamental climbing plant can also be eaten, except for the purple bean variety.

Among flower lovers, curly beans are often used in their summer cottages for decorative purposes, as it is easy to plant and the plant is unpretentious in care. Therefore, novice flower growers often decorate their gardens and plots with such a plant. In addition, the bean has many other advantages, thanks to which it has gained such popularity.

Advantages of decorative beans

All over the world there are great amount different varieties curly beans, of which the most popular can be identified.

Planting ornamental beans

Like most plants, it can be planted directly from seed in open ground or first for seedlings. Any method is good in its own way, so which one to choose is up to everyone. With any method used, landing will give nice results, if you observe some nuances.

Planting for seedlings

In order for the seedlings to grow and get stronger before planting in open ground, experts advise sowing ornamental beans at the end of March. But before you start sowing, you need to prepare containers in advance, it is best to use peat pots which can be bought at any specialized store. Beans do not need to be pre-sprouted Therefore, unsprouted seeds are placed in pots to a depth of no more than 1.5 centimeters. Place one seed in each pot. Next, you need to moisten the soil and leave it alone until germination. For maximum comfort, seedlings should be in a room with a temperature of +18 to +22 ⁰ C.

When the plant reaches 10 centimeters in height, it will be necessary to make a support for it. It is necessary to transplant seedlings in open ground to a permanent place before inflorescences begin to form on it. And also for better adaptation, seedlings are planted along with the land in which it grew.

Landing in open ground

It is necessary to plant curly beans with seeds in open ground when the threat of night frosts has passed. The main guideline for beginner flower growers is the planting of cucumbers, which, like beans, are afraid of frost. Therefore, sowing must be done in the first half of May, when the soil warms up to the required temperature (from +12 to +14 ⁰ C). A place for landing is chosen such that it is well warmed up by the sun. And also experts advise planting beans in the area where potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers or cabbage grew before. Seeds for planting will need to be prepared in advance, for this, the beans are poured with a solution of potassium permanganate (1%) and left to stand for 20 minutes.

After the expiration of the period, the seeds are planted in the ground, 3 beans in each hole to a depth of no more than 2 centimeters. The distance between the holes should be about 30 centimeters. Simultaneously with landing, it is also necessary to immediately install a support with a height of at least 3 meters. It is better to use wooden structures as a support, since the beans do not curl around plastic and iron.

Care

Although curly beans and unpretentious in care, yet it requires timely watering, weeding and fertilization. Besides young plant fears low temperatures therefore, if necessary, the young will need to be covered with a film. Optimum temperature, at which the plant will grow normally, +18 ⁰ C is considered. If this figure is lower, then warming is required.

Watering is very important for ornamental beans, especially during the dry season. Features of watering plants is that you need to water carefully from the watering can into the middle of the beds so that water does not fall on the inflorescences. Water is better to use warm, settled and without chlorine.

Timely feeding of the plant is also important and will only benefit. It is best to use beans as a top dressing organic compounds. Fresh manure cannot be used. Experienced gardeners often fertilize in advance the place where the beans will be planted. It is especially effective to mulch with hay, sawdust or straw. But you also need to remember that when using complex fertilizers, which contain superphosphate, you need to make sure that not a single drop of the substance gets on the leaves and flowers of the plant, since if it gets on the foliage, the plant can get burned, which in some cases will be difficult to fix somehow.

Bean is a plant of the legume family that grows both in the form of a bush and in the form of climbing liana. The birthplace of this culture is considered to be South and Central America. It has been known there since ancient times. Beans were known in ancient Rome, where they were used as food and cosmetic product. She also became an ingredient in decorative powder, which smoothed wrinkles well and had a softening effect. One of the components of Cleopatra's unique face mask was precisely the beans. In Europe, these beans appeared relatively late, namely, in the 15th century.

It was brought from across the ocean by Dutch and Spanish sailors. A few decades later, beans spread throughout Russia. Then the beans were popularly called French beans. Initially, it was used for decorative purposes: gardens, verandas and flower beds were decorated with it. As a food product, the beans of this plant began to be used only after 3 centuries.

Soon varieties of tender beans were bred, the beans of which could be eaten with the pods. They had small seeds and a rather thick shell. Nowadays, such beans are grown in almost all countries. She is valued as important dietary product, which has unique properties.

More than fifty types of beans are known in the world. In this case, all varieties can be divided into:

bush,
curly.

It is also possible to classify a plant depending on the structure of the bean. In this case, the culture is divided into:

sugar,
semi-sugar,
shelled beans.

In addition, the pods of the sugar species may or may not have prominent veiny fibers in the side seams. Grades without fibers are considered more preferable. Beans grow in the form of vines and therefore, when growing, they can twist around supports. The plant gives a better harvest on moderately moist and medium loams. Heavy soils, in which are located high ground water, beans are not very fond of. As for fruiting, the fruits appear only from July to September. Ripening largely depends on the variety of beans. It is noteworthy that up to five crops can be harvested in one season. At the same time, the crop is usually harvested during the period during which the bean shells are still juicy, and the fruits are slightly underripe.

As for calories, 100 grams of beans contain approximately 25 kilocalories. For this reason, it is useful for people who want to lose weight. String beans are rich vitamins A, B, C, E, carotene, folic acid. In addition, beans contain iron, potassium, calcium, zinc, chromium, etc. In addition, beans contain carbohydrates, proteins, fats and sugars. Thanks to the beneficial properties of this plant, the body receives everything it needs to fight free radicals, as well as the elements to maintain healthier hair and skin.

By the way, some nutritionists believe that beans should be a mandatory item on the menu of any person, especially after 40 years. But this does not mean that it should not be included in the diet until this age. Speaking about the value of beans, it should be noted that it is useful for women because it strengthens the breasts. It is quite enough to eat dishes from these beans twice a week. If you cook them deliciously, then you can be sure that everyone at home will like them.

String beans have many useful properties. In particular, it improves the functioning of the digestive system, alleviates the condition with rheumatism, bronchitis. It helps with skin diseases. Also largely due to the sulfur content, it is very valuable in various infectious diseases of the intestine.

In addition to their culinary properties, some types of beans, they are called ornamental, are an excellent material for landscape design. On the Internet, on request for a photo of decorative beans, you can find hundreds of amazing photos depicting this amazing plant. Purple decorative beans look especially bewitching. Next, we will tell you more about the features of growing this crop.

decorative beans

Decorative curly beans - one of the most prominent representatives the legume family. Most often this name is applied to fiery or Turkish beans. it annual plant is a liana, the length of which can reach up to 4 m. Decorative beans are quite unpretentious and get along well even in shady places, although, initially it is considered a light-loving plant.

The ornamental bean liana has wide green leaves and beautiful flowers of predominantly white and bright red, however, there are also combined varieties.

South America is considered the birthplace of this plant, as well as its cultivated species. On our continent, decorative beans have been widely used since the 15th century. Like cultivars beans, decorative also has its beans - large and rough. They cannot be eaten. Moreover, experts believe that unripe fruits can be hazardous to health.

Like many plants of the legume family, ornamental beans are able to accumulate nitrogen in the surrounding soil. This happens due to nodule bacteria, which are able to fix this element in the air. This property makes the plant not only decorative ornament garden, but also extremely useful. Nitrogen-enriched soil allows you to get good yields of tomatoes, potatoes and other crops. At the same time, a lower incidence of crops growing next to ornamental beans and late blight was recorded.

Favorable "cohabitation" of decorative beans with cultivated plants in terms of pest control. So, it was noticed that the number of the Colorado potato beetle on potatoes planted next to this crop is significantly reduced. As a result, there is no need to apply chemicals control of such a pest.

Decorative beans: planting and care

Planting decorative beans is carried out by sowing seeds immediately in open ground. The soil by the time of planting the crop should be well warmed up. As a rule, ornamental beans are planted in the middle or even at the end of May, since at this time the probability of frost is reduced to zero.

Before planting, decorative bean seeds are soaked in water for no more than a day. In this case, the liquid should be slightly warmer. room temperature. Experts advise adding a little growth stimulants to the water. Seeds are planted to a depth of no more than 1 cm, while making holes located at a distance of 40-45 cm from each other. The hole is filled with water and 2-3 beans are planted in it.

Sometimes ornamental beans are grown through seedlings. However, this method is not very popular, because given plant does not tolerate transplant well. To grow seedlings, bean seeds are planted in a greenhouse in mid-April. For each bush provide a separate pot. It is better to use special peat cups, in which seedlings can be planted directly into the soil, thereby without injuring the plant. If there are no such cups, then the culture is transplanted along with a clod of earth. The temperature in the greenhouse for growing seedlings should not be lower than + 18⁰С ... + 22⁰С. Shoots do not need to pinch. If seedling sprouts will be in pots for more than a month, they need to be given additional support. To this end, it is necessary to carefully stick a small wooden rod next to the sprout, for which an old pencil is quite suitable.

Caring for an ornamental crop variety

If frost occurs, decorative beans must be insulated by covering plastic wrap or non-woven fabric. This must be done very carefully so as not to damage the crops. Alternatively, you can build a small temporary greenhouse. To do this, take a steel wire with a diameter of 2 mm, cut into pieces 0.5-0.7 m (depending on the height of the plant) and make a semicircle out of them. At a distance of 0.4-0.5 m from each other, insert the wire into the ground, making the frame of the greenhouse. For strength, connect all half rings with wire. Then cover the frame with a transparent film and fix it at the bottom with stones, or dig it with earth.

The unpretentiousness of ornamental beans does not mean that they can be grown anywhere. The plant prefers rich soils with a light structure. In addition, it loves moisture very much, so during hot and dry periods it must be watered abundantly. From fertilizer, ornamental beans prefer organic mixtures, with the exception of fresh manure.

If a organic fertilizers are absent, complex mixtures containing superphosphate can be used. It is better to mulch the soil around the beans so that moisture is better preserved. You can do this with any bulk material except for manure. It is better to use straw or sawdust.

Ornamental bean is a climbing plant with which you can make beautiful garden compositions. It can be planted around the gazebo, and then, due to its wide leaves, it will create a shadow, and its beautiful flowers - good mood. This plant makes beautiful decorative arches, cones, awnings. When the plant fades, it somewhat loses its former appearance, however, the bean pods that form at the place of flowering give the vines a special charm.

Varieties of ornamental beans

The most popular varieties of ornamental beans in our latitudes are:

Mammoth is a variety with large white flowers.
Two-tone - a variety in the colors of which combines white and red.
French - decorative red beans with bright colors.

A composition of various varieties of decorative beans can look quite original. For example, if there is a round gazebo in the yard, you can divide it into three sectors and plant a mammoth in turn, then a two-color and French. Then you get a beautiful transition from white to red. Drive pegs around the arbor near the holes with the planted seeds and pull a thick fishing line or twine to the roof of the structure so that the liana of the plant can reach it. During the flowering of the beans, your gazebo will turn into a fairy-tale palace.

Most different types green beans and grain beans have long and with pleasure been used by humans as food crops and green manure. But at the same time, one more role of the plant is not forgotten. Curly beans are decorative and have been taking pride of place among the garden, greenhouse and even a modest balcony for three and a half centuries.

The advantage of decorative curly beans is:

high growth rate, which allows greening large vertical surfaces during the spring-summer season;
unpretentiousness;
a variety of shapes and colors appearing on the shoots of inflorescences;
long-term preservation of attractiveness due to the presence of not only spectacular inflorescences, but also pods, sometimes striking with an unusual appearance;
the possibility of using the green mass of the plant for green fertilizers and composts;
soil enrichment with nitrogen accumulating on the roots of plants of this family.

The only thing to consider when planting beans is the thermophilicity of the plant and the culture's need for light and abundant nutrition.

Properly using the ability of the plant to climb to a height of 2 to 5 meters and combining different varieties of curly beans, you can equip unusual green arbors, create arches in the garden and ennoble the most unpresentable corners and hedges.

It is important that several plants are used for landscaping today. independent species belonging to the legume family, but having unique properties and appearance. Moreover, all these crops are valued both as ornamentals and as vegetable plants.

Common beans of curly varieties are well known and loved by Russian gardeners. An annual plant native to Latin America, perfectly combines the properties vegetable crop, supplying green pods and mature seeds to the table, and highly decorative. Curly beans in height can reach from 1.5 to 3 meters, a month after sowing forms the first inflorescences, and with proper care, top dressing and flowering and the formation of pods continues until mid-autumn.

Components decorative effect is also small but numerous flowers various colors, and dense foliage, and pods hanging from the stems varying degrees maturity. Regular harvesting of string beans on many varieties of climbing beans stimulates the formation of new buds, which prolongs the life of the living and fences.

If the flowers of ordinary beans, depending on the variety, can be white, lilac, pinkish or cream, then Turkish beans or, as this catchy plant is also called, fiery red beans strike with scarlet inflorescences. It is interesting that this species, which came to the territory of Russia two centuries before ordinary vegetable beans, did not find wide distribution as garden plant, but firmly settled in greenhouses and gardens.

Turkish beans are very unpretentious and with minimal care grow up to 3-4.5 meters. At early landing plants bloom from mid-June to late September. If until recently summer cottages were decorated with creepers that bloom only with bright red racemose inflorescences, today there are varieties of curly beans that give two-color, salmon, burgundy and completely white flowers.

Plants are distinguished by numerous large foliage, which, like most legumes, has three divided lobes. In the presence of a strong support, the whips willingly climb to great heights, easily braiding lattices, hedges and even tree crowns.

Young pods of this type of curly ornamental bean are inedible due to tough fibers and substances harmful to human digestion. The valves of such beans are densely pubescent. Inside the pod can be from three to six seeds of purple-pink color, feature which are contrasting dark strokes over the entire surface.

Mature seeds after soaking in taste and nutritional value are not inferior to hulled beans of cultivated varieties.

At their summer cottage, Turkish beans can also be used to create vertical gardening, and to create green shelters from the wind for heat-loving crops, such as melons or grapes.

Another spectacular annual plant from the legume family is rightly called climbing lilac. With this ornamental shrubs dolichos, lablab or hyacinth beans are related by the shade of flowers and the appearance of large, uniting up to four dozen buds, inflorescences.

In Russia and other regions with a temperate climate, this ornamental climbing bean is sown in the spring, and by autumn the plants finish their growing season. But in Africa and Asia, where the climate is warmer, and the daylight hours are longer, dolichos is a large, constantly flowering perennial.

With favorable weather conditions varieties of curly beans of this species grow up to 1.5–3 meters and very quickly master the supports of various shapes and designs prepared for them. Thanks to abundant flowering and large three-lobed leaves, hyacinth beans create a dense decorative coating. Moreover, depending on the variety, the purple color can extend not only to the inflorescences and valves of the beans, but also to the stems and even leaf blades.

Today, gardeners have at their disposal varieties that delight both traditionally lilac and purple flowers, and revealing white, pink, purple and even two-tone buds. Inflorescences appear from the sinuses, flowers that remain attractive for up to three days open alternately, and the entire brush lives from 20 to 30 days.

Interestingly, dolichos is a rare ornamental curly bean that has a pleasant smell, so large inflorescences are sometimes included in bouquets. Flowers easily tolerate cutting and remain in water for up to 10-14 days. With the completion of flowering, the plants do not lose their decorative effect. Purple, purple or dark green curly beans are grouped in clusters of 5-15 and in late summer are no less showy than flowering beans. The length of the pod on average ranges from 8 to 12 cm.

Elliptical, laterally compressed seeds of black or brown color ripen in pods. On seeds not exceeding 1–1.5 cm in length, a white scar is clearly visible. The seeds are edible and have been used as food by the peoples of North Africa for many thousands of years, and today they are a type of climbing ornamental bean, suitable for both planting in the garden and growing in balcony boxes.

The name of the amazing climbing plant was given by the snail, which is so similar to the flowers of this variety of climbing beans. Vigna Caracalla or, according to an alternative classification, Cochliasanthus caracalla is perennial native to the tropics of South America. Vigna is one of the largest species among cultivated varieties of curly beans. The shoots of cowpea Caracalla are able to climb to a height of up to 7 meters.

In the homeland of culture it is a perennial, but in temperate climate cultivated as an annual crop, and the species is quite thermophilic, therefore, wanting to save the plant for the winter, it is transferred to a room or to a heated greenhouse. Vignu, like other varieties of beans, is distinguished by a high rate of development and growth. Therefore, even when short summer In the middle lane, curly decorative beans successfully braid hedges, terraces and arches. Vigna is attached to vertical surfaces with strong mustaches. The shape and appearance of the leaves of this crop differs little from other types of beans, but the flowers are truly unique.

The petals that make up the corolla are twisted like a dense spiral. The diameter of the flower can reach 3-5 cm. Depending on the variety and age of the flower, the color can vary from white, yellowish or cream to purple and violet. The cowpea inflorescence is a brush, in which there can be 5–12 gradually opening buds.

The flowers of this variety of curly beans are fragrant and quite long-lived. If the plant planted in the garden is not exposed to frost and cold wind, then its flowering lasts from July to the end of September.

As a balcony culture, it is better to pinch a large plant in order to control the length of the shoots and periodically provoke flowering. For the cowpea, they arrange supports from a rope net, onto which the growing stems are immediately directed. If you move mature plant, you can easily break off fairly fragile shoots.

Most unusual view curly ornamental beans first came to the territory of Russia quite recently, just a few years ago. But winged beans are well known in Goa, Thailand and New Guinea and other countries of this region.

Here, beans with pods of an unusual form for Russians have long been used for food. Moreover, for the preparation of culinary dishes, not only green juicy shoulder blades with four fancy lobes and mature seeds are used, but also inflorescences and powerful three-lobed foliage. In the local traditional medicine the plant is recognized as curative, which today is confirmed by European experts.

As decorative curly beans, winged beans are grown, like cowpea, trying to protect from wind and cold. AT Russian conditions- This is an annual plant, reaching a height of 5 meters in the spring-summer season.

Inflorescences of winged beans are racemose, large, up to 15 cm in length. In each such brush, you can count from 5 to 15 blue, cream or two-color corollas up to 3 cm in diameter. After flowering, this variety of curly beans forms amazing tetrahedral blades, which, depending on growing conditions and variety, grow up to 10-25 cm in length. On some plants there are truly giant beans up to 40 cm long.

Inside the pod, from 5 to 20 almost round smooth seeds ripen with a diameter of up to 10 mm. The color of edible grains can be varied. At different varieties Curly beans of this species come in brown, brown, yellow and black seeds.

How to plant beans near a support - video

Many gardeners and residents country houses they prefer to plant their plot with decorative curly beans, as it is unpretentious in care and its planting is quite simple. In addition, it looks very beautiful and bright, especially during the flowering period. Its stems can wrap around a fence, giving it a pretty look, or an arbor in the yard. The length of one stem can reach 5 meters, and ornamental beans grow quickly. The fruits are later eaten as all beans are edible (except purple beans). Beans are high in protein, vitamins and minerals.

Advantages

If the site is not very large, then it is necessary to carefully choose those plants that will grow on it. Summer residents are interested in what advantages ornamental beans have and whether it is worth planting them in their country house.

Unpretentiousness. Beans do not require painstaking care, which distinguishes them from other crops.
Growth rate. Beans in a short period will turn into a beautiful green wall with bright colors.
Large selection of color colors.
Not only inflorescences look attractive, but also pods, which can also be of a bright shade.

Varieties

If you decide to plant curly beans on your site, then you need to decide on the variety. It is worth noting here that the beans do not differ in taste, size or appearance. The difference lies only in the color of the flowers themselves.

golden nectar. This plant has very bright orange flowers.
Mammoth. This variety differs from the rest in that the flowers have larger size. Their color is white.
Purple beans. This is the most favorite variety of gardeners. The flowers are very beautiful and bright. Only here the fruits can not be eaten.
Bicolor beans. The flowers are very interesting - they combine white and rich scarlet hue.
Turkish beans. This one unpretentious variety. Even with minimal care, the stems will reach a length of 4 meters. Flowers orange.

If you need beans solely for decoration, then you can use absolutely any variety of this plant. But still, Turkish beans and purple beans are best suited for this purpose. These two types eventually become covered with bright colors, which will perfectly decorate your site. In addition, these varieties are distinguished by the longest vines. They can be planted right next to the house, creating a support for them. After a short period of time, long stems with beautiful and very bright flowers will wrap around the walls. They have no special care requirements, they can grow even in the most adverse conditions and in the absence of sun.

Of course, if you want to get a crop in the future to eat beans, then growing purple beans is no longer suitable, since they are inedible. This must be taken into account when choosing a variety for planting.

Beans must be planted in soil that is already well warmed by the sun. It is also recommended to use not new places, but those where they have already grown, for example, cucumbers, tomatoes or cabbage. If you follow this rule, you will get a very rich harvest and beautiful flowers. The soil for planting should be prepared in the fall - the earth is dug up and fertilized with superphosphates. You need to use about 300 grams per 10 square meters. This fertilizer will make the flowers brighter and the stems longer.

The soil should never be fertilized with nitrogen supplements. The fact is that nitrogen accumulates in the roots, which subsequently greatly harms the plant.

In spring, the soil must be fertilized with potassium and superphosphate. The first is added 20 grams, and the second 30 grams per one square meter. Only with proper soil preparation can you achieve a good result.

Beans can be planted immediately directly into the ground or to start preparing seedlings. Both options are acceptable, but seedlings are still not very popular among gardeners, although they can guarantee you early flowering. The fact is that beans do not like transplanting very much and sometimes begin to “act up”.

Sowing for seedlings

If you want beans to please you with bright colors as soon as possible, you need to sow them for seedlings first.

Sowing beans can be started as early as the end of March. To do this, you need to prepare special peat pots.
Only one bean is placed in each pot to a depth of about one and a half centimeters.
Stems will appear very quickly. Once they reach a height of 10-15 cm, they will need to be provided with support so that the vines cling to it. This stage is very important for the normal growth of the plant.
Seedlings should grow at a temperature of at least 18 degrees. Ideal - 22 degrees.

planted on open ground you need a bean that is not yet developed, otherwise there will be problems with its adaptation. It is advisable to transplant it along with a small amount of land that was in a pot. This will help the plant take root faster.

open ground

If you are not in a hurry, then plant the beans directly in open soil. Of course, it will begin to bloom later, but then you will not have problems with it taking root.

Sometimes the landing begins quite early - in mid-April. However, most often the plant is planted in early or even mid-May. The soil must necessarily warm up to at least 12 degrees, since beans, like cucumbers, are afraid of cold weather.

Beans are planted in two pieces in the soil to a depth of one and a half to two centimeters. It is permissible to plant three beans in one hole.

There should be a decent distance between each hole - about 20 centimeters. Between the rows, the distance should be about 50 centimeters - beans love space. Near each hole it is necessary to install a support about 3 meters long. Plastic or metal structures should be abandoned, as the vines will not be able to wrap themselves around them.

Care

When the beans are still young, they must be carefully protected from the cold. In order for the plant to grow normally, it needs an air temperature of at least 18 degrees. If it is lower, then the beans are covered with a film. Already an adult plant steadfastly survives the cold and will not die even with severe frosts; it is not required to protect it.

It is important that the beans get enough moisture. It needs to be watered very well, especially on hot and dry days. You can do this with a hose or watering can. Water flows between holes. The buds must remain dry, they cannot be wetted. Water should not contain chlorine, as it harms the plant. If there is no rain, then water the beans in without fail you need it every day, because it is very moisture-loving.

Use superphosphates or various organic fertilizers as top dressing. Fresh manure is strictly forbidden to use for this. Make sure that fertilizer does not fall on the stems and leaves. The fact is that the leaves of the beans are very delicate and can get serious burns that cannot be removed with water. That is why dry fertilizers must be laid directly into the soil very carefully. Liquids are poured into the well with a watering can.

In the event that you do not need a crop, you can not pinch the shoots. If you want to collect beans in the future, then pinching the shoots is a must. Proper Care will help you collect as many fruits as possible.

It is worth noting that you need to collect the beans as they ripen, and not at the end all together. Some varieties begin to bear fruit after two months. On others, you will see the first fruits only after 100 days.

So, curly decorative beans are great for decorating. suburban area- she is attractive appearance and unpretentious in care. It is these qualities that have made her so popular among beginners and already experienced gardeners. Even if you do not understand gardening, you can afford to plant beans in the country and gain experience. She will forgive you many missteps and mistakes.

The traditional 6 acres do not give the summer resident much space for experiments, but they are taught to use every meter of land wisely. And growing ornamental climbing plants is gaining more and more popularity among gardeners: it almost does not take up space in the garden, and it decorates the plot (or covers an unsightly fence), and brings a good harvest.

So, the topic of our article is care, planting and cultivation of curly beans.

Can you eat curly beans? Types of curly beans

Some novice summer residents ask if curly beans are edible. Of course it's edible! But the grains and pods of some varieties in their raw form contain toxins that quickly break down when cooked. Like ordinary bush, curly beans are of the following types:

-asparagus curly beans (sugar, green beans). Such beans are harvested in an unripe form, put in salads, soups, etc. But if you keep the asparagus curly beans on the plant until biological maturity, you can collect small bean grains from it.

Asparagus curly beans "Blauhilda"

- grain curly beans (shelling). This is a simple bean, as a result of which we obtain grains suitable for long-term storage. Curly beans boast larger grains compared to bush beans, and its color is original.

Beans curly grain varieties "Fiery red"

- semi-sugar curly beans. This is something between asparagus and grain beans. When ripe, it gives grains, but the pod itself is more tender than that of grain varieties, suitable for eating when young. In the future, the pod becomes hard, with a pronounced parchment layer.

Curly beans: growing features

Planting curly beans

Growing vine beans is no different from growing regular beans. It can only be noted a great thermophilicity and intolerance to frost, therefore, for growing curly beans, only south side where there are no cold winds.

soil for planting curly beans should be neutral and even slightly alkaline. Otherwise, it should be deoxidized since the fall, and at the same time fertilizer should be applied - manure, compost and superphosphate. And if earlier potatoes, cabbage or cucumbers grew in this place, in the future curly beans can not be fed at all, since the land after these crops is fully enriched with minerals for curly beans. By the way, after growing beans, the earth becomes extremely rich in nitrogen - this is the work of nodule nitrogen-fixing bacteria living in its root system. Like all legumes, beans are a very useful precursor that gives the earth a rest.

Planting curly beans directly into the ground is carried out only when the threat of night frosts is gone (late spring - early summer). There are early-ripening varieties, from which the harvest can be harvested as early as two months after planting, and there are also late varieties that ripen for more than 100 days. It is better to plant the latter through seedlings in order to have time to fully enjoy the harvest, especially when it comes to middle lane, and not about the southern regions.

Planting curly beans through seedlings

They begin to cook it in early May, so that by the time of planting there are two true leaves on the beans. The grains are soaked in water for a day and put in a warm place, after which they are immersed in pots or cups with soil for seedlings so that the sharp end of the beans is in the ground, and the other slightly “peeps out” of the soil. It is recommended to grow seedlings of curly beans at a temperature of 16-18 0 C. Thanks to this, the plants will be stocky, with a good root system. In a month, the seedlings will be ready for planting. For planting, they are prepared in holes (ashes, humus, compost can be put in the holes, if no fertilizer has been applied since autumn), plants are planted in increments of about 10-20 cm, to a depth of no more than 5 cm, near the supports.

Planting Curly Beans Through Seeds

pre-soaked in warm water for a day, beans are planted in holes or rows to the depth of the finger phalanx, that is, about 5 cm (the lighter the soil, the deeper). You can plant 1 piece, you can - several, depending on the support. Ashes, humus or compost are placed in the wells.

In the event of a severe cold snap, crops or plantings of curly beans are covered with lutrasil, film, etc.

Support for curly beans

curly beans grows from one and a half to three meters in length, so you need to take care of the support in advance. The support should not only be high - about 2.5 meters, but also strong, as the beans build up a lot of heavy green mass.

What can be taken as a support for curly beans?

- wooden gazebos, fences, stairs, fences and other existing structures;

- Rabitz. Not the most a good option: the beans will braid the mesh cells so tightly that it will be difficult to get rid of even dry lashes. In addition, a plant with its weight can simply fill up an unreliably fixed chain-link;

- lower branches of trees. Beans are a good neighbor, as they are able to accumulate nitrogen and improve the soil. Among the minuses - the tree creates a shadow that is undesirable for the beans; beans climb quite high and tenaciously up the branches, and harvesting and later getting rid of dry residues can be problematic.

- wooden structure like "grape" or "cucumber". And since the cucumber is an excellent precursor for our beans, you can use the trellis on which you grew cucumbers last year as a support.

-poles dug into the ground to a depth of at least half a meter, and rising above the ground at least two meters. Poles can be placed in the form of a hut; the letters "T" or "P" with threads connecting horizontal poles and the ground; in the form of the letter "V", etc.

When the curly beans grow by about 15 cm, they spud them, and as they grow, they help to “grab” the support: they twist it counterclockwise along a pole or trellis.

Curly bean care

Like others garden plants, curly beans need regular watering, weeding from weeds and loosening, pinching and mulching.

What to feed curly beans? Beans do not need large doses of nitrogen, so clean nitrogen fertilizers she shouldn't be fed. For the first feeding, a month after germination, curly beans are recommended to be fed with complete fertilizer. If the plant has a nitrogen deficiency (thin pale sprouts, chlorous leaves), which happens during drought, watering can be combined with the application of mullein, diluted bird droppings, infusion of herbs, etc. A month later, another top dressing of curly beans- already for the formation of fruits. The easiest way is to feed the culture with ash (a glass under a bush) or other fertilizers containing the necessary potassium, magnesium and phosphorus.

How to water curly beans? Before the start of tying the pods, the beans do not need abundant watering. On an anhydrous diet, the plant will grow unpretentious, with a powerful root system that is not susceptible to disease. However, after flowering, everything changes dramatically: in the absence of rain, the beans are well watered, and the ground around is mulched. Without water good harvest don't get

When should you pinch beans? Pinching a curly bean is done if you no longer want the plant to grow in length. Also, the growing point can be pinched to direct the forces of the plant to ripen the beans / blades, or grow a low culture - for example, 1-meter or 1.5-meter.

How to harvest curly bean pods? Like ordinary beans - as they ripen. The more often you do this, the more beans your bush will bring. Usually curly beans in August-September look like this: the top blooms, in the middle - unripe pods, below - mature ones. The collection of curly beans stretches for about a month, until frost. 3-5 kg of beans are harvested from 1 "square" of the fruitful beds.

In this way, growing curly beans allows you to not only decorate your garden, but also get a good harvest. And what soups, what potatoes can be cooked with beans! Moreover, many varieties of curly beans are distinguished by larger and more tender beans than bush forms. But choosing a bean variety is another story.