Red beans
How do I sow kidney beans outdoors?
To successfully sow red kidney beans outdoors, choose a sunny spot with well-drained soil. Favour sowing in spring, when there is no risk of frost. Before sowing, carefully weed the area and loosen the soil by spading to a depth of around 20 cm. Avoid adding fertiliser, as kidney beans don't need it.
Sow your kidney bean seeds in bunches 8 to 10 cm apart, about 3 cm deep. Cover the seeds with soil and pack lightly. Be sure to water regularly without soaking the soil, especially during dry spells. Kidney beans need fresh soil to germinate well.
Once the plants are well developed, make sure you hoe regularly to limit competition from weeds. Climbing kidney beans will need a support to hang on to (tipis, trellis, wire netting...). Harvest the pods when they are well formed but still tender. It's best to harvest regularly to encourage new flowers to form and prolong the harvest.
How do I harvest kidney beans?
Red kidney beans can be harvested in late summer or early autumn, when the pods are quite full. To harvest them, simply pick them by hand, gently detaching them from the plant. It is important not to wait too long after they are ready to harvest, as this can affect their flavour.
To preserve the kidney bean harvest, it is best to dry them completely in the shade for a few days. Then store them in a dry place away from light. Kidney beans generally keep for several months in this way. It is recommended to use them within a year of harvesting to ensure their freshness and optimum flavour.
Red beans
- Type : Vegetables
- Subtype : Seed vegetables
- Botanical Family : Fabaceae (papilionaceae / legumes)
Characteristics
- Lifecycle : Annual
- Exposure : Full Sun
- Frost Hardiness : Frost Sensitive
- Cultivation Difficulty : Easy
- Adult Height : 40 cm
Sowing & Planting
- Greenhouse Growing : Not Required
- Sowing Depth : 3 cm
- Plant Spacing : 8 cm
- Row Spacing : 40 cm
Maintenance
- Maintenance : Low
- Water Requirements : Moderate
Seeds
- Soil Type : Humus-rich
- Soil pH Preference : Neutral
- Pest Sensitivity : Moderate
- Disease Sensitivity : Moderate
- Weed Sensitivity : Moderate
- Pollination : Self-pollinating
- Propagation : Sowing