Black Turtle Bush Beans (10g)

Spread from South America to Asia and Africa in the late 1700s by Spanish and Portuguese traders, Black Beans have just recently come to popularity in America and the UK.

These vividly attractive beans are...

• Tasty and healthy.
• Beneficial. Researchers have found that these fiber, iron, and protein-rich legumes improve digestive and heart health. 

Black Turtle Bush Bean Planting Instructions

• Not Too Early: Beans are generally direct seeded in the garden. The most important point about growing green beans is not to plant them too early. They will rot in cool, damp soil. To get an earlier start, you can put down black plastic to warm the soil. When bush beans begin producing they often come in all at once. Staggered planting, every 2 weeks, will keep your bush beans going longer.
• Soil: Beans like moderately rich soil with a slightly acidic pH of about 6.0 to 6.2. They prefer loose, moist soil. Plant after all danger of frost is past.
• Support: Pole beans will need some type of support to grow on. Be sure the trellis, teepee, fence or whatever is in place before you seed. Plant seeds at a rate of about 3-6 seeds per teepee or every 6 inches apart.

Black Turtle Bush Bean Harvesting Instructions 

Harvesting beans is an ongoing process. You can start to harvest anytime, but gardeners usually wait until the beans begin to firm up and can be snapped. They are generally about as think as a pencil then.

Don't wait too long, because beans can become overgrown and tough almost overnight. Harvest by gently pulling each bean from the vine or by snapping off the vine end, if you are going to be using the beans right away.

Saving Seeds

It is suggested that you earmark a couple of plants at the beginning of the season for seed saving. Don't pick ANY pods from them to eat - just pick the crisp brown pods at the end of the season. Don't feed or water them unless it is very dry - as this can encourage leafy growth rather than pod development. There is no point in picking green pods as the seeds are not mature enough at this stage.