At first, asparagus beans did not spread in the garden areas of amateurs. But it is completely in vain. Over time, people realized that tender pods of this sort can be used more in cooking than simple ones. Although its mature fruits are more rigid, the pods do not contain parchment partitions and solid fibers. That is why you can eat the whole pod.
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Description and characteristics of asparagus beans
This bean owes its name to asparagus, which is reminiscent in taste of ready-made pods. But the biological relationship of asparagus beans is very similar to the ordinary. Their main difference is the absence of fibers and solid film inside. Externally, they can be distinguished by the shape of the pods. In asparagus varieties they have a narrower and longer form. Asparagus varieties include a separate species called Vigna.
In the northern terrain, legumes are grown through seedlings. In the south, on the contrary, you can have time to grow two, and sometimes even three harvests per season.
There are three main types of asparagus beans:
- bush;
- semi-growing;
- curly.
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- Spray
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- Curly
Shades of pods also differ in different varieties:
- green;
- yellow;
- Violet;
- red.
In shape, they are narrow, but long.
May differ among themselves and the flowers in different varieties. Sometimes they are even used for decorative purposes. Oddly enough, most varieties are shade-tolerant and can be grown even on the north side of the plot in open ground.
Homeland and regions of growth
South and Central America is considered the birthplace of green beans.Since ancient times, the inhabitants of these regions were aware of the miraculous properties of asparagus beans. Even the ancient Romans used this plant for cosmetic purposes. In Europe, this plant fell into 16 century. In Russia, it was originally used to decorate gardens and flower beds. They began to eat food only after a couple of centuries.
Now asparagus beans are grown almost everywhere. Its useful properties and taste qualities have found application not only in cooking, but also in cosmetology and other sectors of the national economy.
Most popular varieties
Asparagus beans already has a huge number of varieties. Some of them have become real favorites of domestic gardeners. These include:
- Turk;
- crane
- tenderness;
- Snow Maiden;
- oil king.
Turk
The first of them is very often used for decorative purposes. The length of its lashes reaches 3 meters. Decorative effect is achieved due to the fact that the foliage is very densely covering the stem. In addition to the beauty on the site, you can also enjoy delicious fruits. The length of the pod reaches 20 centimeters. Their color may be green and pink. The yield is quite good.
Crane
It belongs to the early varieties and tastes very much like asparagus. The bushes of vegetable beans are quite small, the height of the lashes is about half a meter. Green seeds. Productivity is high.
Oil king
Another very popular early variety is the Butter King. The bush is very compact, it does not even reach half a meter. It is very resistant to diseases and pests, does not require regular watering, tolerates drought well. The beans have a yellow color, the length of the pod is about 25 centimeters. Tastes are excellent, yield is high.
Technology and scheme of planting seed of vegetable culture in open ground
How to plant this legume culture at your dacha? Beans are quite a heat-loving plant, it does not tolerate frosts. When the temperature drops to +10 degrees, the plant stops growing, and with even the most minimal frosts it just dies. For planting should try to pick loose, well-drained soil.Pre-organic fertilizer can be applied.
If the soil in the area is poorly fertile sandy, then nitrogen fertilizers are applied in the spring (for example, ammonium nitrate 20-30 g / m2).
The beans have a very well-developed root system, so it tolerates drought well. But with prolonged absence of rain, watering is still necessary. But the plant does not tolerate excessive moisture.
Seeds can be sown both dry and pre-soaked them in a solution of growth stimulant. It is not necessary to buy chemical stimulants. Honey, ash, humus and manure will be quite suitable. Sowing is done at an average depth (about 3-4 cm). If the planting is deep, then shoots will have to wait a very long time, and their root system will be weakened. The seed in the garden is planted according to this scheme: the distance between the rows should be 40-50 cm, and between the holes - 20-30 cm.
Post-planting care and growing plants in the garden
After the beans of the asparagus bean rose, care for it consists in watering, loosening and weeding weeds, fertilizing and pest control.
If after landing there is a threat of night frost, then the crop should be covered with a film or a special material. A month after the emergence of shoots need to conduct the first feeding with nitrogen fertilizers. This procedure is especially important in dry weather. In case of insufficient organic content in the soil, complex fertilizers can also be applied.
In the period of the ovary of the pods will be appropriate to feed potash-phosphate fertilizers. For climbing beans, it is advisable to build supports. If the variety you have chosen is also different in its beautiful flowering, you can use it as a decorative one.
When weeding the beds, the grass can not be thrown away, but used as mulch. Later, it can serve as a good fertilizer, as the beans respond well to organic matter.
Harvesting and proper storage of the crop
As a rule, the pods of asparagus beans are harvested, preventing their maturity. That is why it is very important not to miss the moment of collection.This is best done a couple of weeks after the appearance of the ovary. It is during this period that the supply of nutrients is greatest, the pods are soft and tasty, and the grains are small. When the pods are removed, the plant begins a new wave of flowering and continues to tie the pods. This method of harvesting allows you to harvest until the frost.
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- Frozen Asparagus Beans
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- Canned Green Beans
Usually, the harvest is consumed both fresh, and canned, frozen. Collected pods can also be stored for a short time in a cool and dark place. However, after a week they will begin to become rude and lose their commodity qualities. That is why it is better to use freezers for storage for a longer period.
Asparagus beans are valued not only as a component of culinary dishes, but also as an ornamental plant.In addition, it enriches the soil with nutrients and nitrogen, which is also important. In the cultivation of this crop is not capricious, and harvesting is very simple. Useful properties of beans were used in very old times, some recipes have survived to our days.