Black beans are also referred to as turtle beans. As nutritious as the black beans seem, many people get accustomed to using them as an insufficient hors d’oeuvre or side dish. But, overall, this kind of legume is prized for its high fiber content and protein, which are very good for human health.
On top of that, you could cultivate it right in your garden without much effort. Hit the road with our well-rounded guide on how to grow black beans!
When To Grow Black Beans?
Whenever you find the bean pods turned yellow and dry, your black beans are ready to harvest. More often than not, the harvest will occur after 90-140 days since planting, based on the variety.
To harvest them, just use a scissor to snip away the ripened pods from your plant. Then, towards the bush beans, you could gather all the pods at the same time.
How To Grow Black Beans In Your Garden?
It’s not complicated to grow black beans in your garden. Yet following our direction properly is of the utmost importance.
How To Grow Black Beans: Choose The Planting Location
Pick Out A Good Sunny Spot
In reality, black beans adore sunlight. Therefore, you had better select a plot where your beans can get full sunlight day by day. Getting about six sunlight hours per day is the most suitable.
Measure Your Soil PH & Amend Your Soil
Experts give credence that a pH of 6.0-6.5 is the best. You can purchase a home pH test kit for your garden’s soil examination if necessary.
In case the soil pH is too high or too low, let’s amend it. You can raise your soil by adding some lime if the pH is too low. In contrast, add some sulfur in case the pH is too high.
Supply Some Low-Nitrogen Fertilizer
Overall, there’s no need to add too much fertilizer when growing beans. You just need a bit of organic fertilizer before planting black beans. We recommend you opt for the low-nitrogen fertilizer for your soil.
How To Grow Black Beans: Planting Your Black Beans
Buy Dry Black Bean Seeds
It’s pretty simple to shop for black beans online from a garden center or seed store nearby.
Plant In Late Spring
Typically, black beans could flourish in warm weather. Hence, late spring (May or June) is regarded as the best planting season. Your black beans could take full sunlight during the day.
- The ideal temperature should be at least 60 °F (16 °C) before planting.
- You need to germinate your beans in 10-14 days. They can reach maturity within 100 days.
Pre-soak Your Black Beans Before Planting
By being pre-soaked for a few hours or overnight, black bean seeds can germinate more rapidly. Therefore, soaking the bean in clean water for at least 2 hours before planting is crucial.
Inoculate Your Beans Or Soil
Conventional wisdom recommends applying a legume inoculant to the soil because your beans can better use nitrogen in this soil. However, you can quickly look for an appropriate inoculant formulated for beans at local garden supply stores or online.
- Using mycorrhizal fungi as an inoculate plays a key role in the root form and planting with nitrogen fixation.
- Also, pour the black beans into a bag with the inoculant available. Shake gently to coat the beans.
Plant Your Beans
Create a long furrow about one inch deep and space all the beans out along this furrow. Ensure each bean is put far enough apart to have space to spread out as they grow.
After planting, cover the beans with a light layer of soil, which is enough to fill the planting furrows.
- A space between each seed of at least 6 inches or 15 cm is good if they’re a bush variety.
- Sow the black beans with their eyes facing down.
Water Your Beans After Planting
One of the best ways to stimulate the beans to germinate is by watering the soil at planting time. You should mildly water the soil so that it is damp yet not too soggy. Moreover, always keep your soil moist while your beans begin to grow.
Summing Up
From now on, you grasp all the fundamental steps on how to grow black beans. They’re indeed hardy, tasty, and nutritious to various cooking recipes. What’s more, it’s not tricky to cultivate and care for them. With a bit of patience and good preparation, you could grow and harvest black beans in your gardens with seeming ease.
