Dwarf French Bean Canadian Wonder

The Canadian Wonder Red Dwarf Bean is an ideal variety for Mexican cuisine, in Chilli con carne or salad. The long fluorescent green pods shelter dark burgundy-coloured beans. They usually come in sets of 5 or 6 per pod. This ancient variety, already cultivated under this name in Canada at the end of the 19th century, is quite early and can be harvested as early as June to enjoy the fresh beans or even the pods. Wait until the pods are completely dry for harvesting the dry beans.

Whether consumed for its pod or its seed, the bean is a highly appreciated vegetable in gardens, as it is very easy to cultivate. It is so reliable that the gardener knows the exact date when the first harvest will take place, 60 days after sowing.

Discovered in the New World and acclimatised in Europe from the 16th century onwards, the bean has now become an essential legume in diets all over the world. Native Americans cultivated it for its dried seeds, but it was the Italians who first ate the whole immature pod in the 18th century.

The bean is a climber with indeterminate growth. Primitive varieties are all climbing plants and require staking. Later, for practical reasons, dwarf varieties were selected, but they all have tendrils capable of wrapping around a support.

The pods are generally green, sometimes yellow, striped with red or even purple. Among the varieties that are eaten at the "fine" or "extra fine" stage, there are beans that have filaments when ripe. Then the pod becomes parchmented and loses its taste quality.

The snap bean is generally more fleshy and can be consumed entirely, both the seeds and the pods, even when ripe. The more recently created varieties can be consumed young at the "extra fine" stage until they become more fleshy like a snap bean, as they do not form strings.

Among the "shelling" varieties (i.e., those whose seeds are consumed), we distinguish between the harvest of fresh beans and the harvest of dry beans, which takes place 90 days after sowing.

Immature green pods are rich in vitamins A, B9, and C, as well as trace elements and minerals. Dry beans are also very rich in vitamin C, trace elements, and vegetable proteins.

Harvesting: fresh beans or young pods can be harvested 60 days after sowing. For fresh beans, it must be done before the pods start to dry and develop wrinkles. The beans should barely take on their colour. For the pods, the harvest will take place every 2 or 3 days, whether at the "fine" or "extra fine" stage for snap beans. To harvest the dry beans, cut the entire plant then hang it in a dry and ventilated place. The beans can be shelled as needed.

Storage: freezing pods is now the most common method of preservation. To do this, remove the stems, wash them, blanch them for 5 to 6 minutes in boiling water, then plunge them into cold water before drying them with a clean cloth. The beans can be kept in the freezer at -18°C (-0.4°F). However, canning is regaining its popularity among a growing number of consumers due to the taste qualities inherent in this method of preservation. As with freezing, remove the stems, wash them, blanch them, and then plunge the beans into cold water. Then put them in jars, fill them with salted boiling water, and seal them. Sterilise them in a pressure cooker or with a steriliser for 1 hour and 30 minutes over medium heat. To do this, completely cover the jars with water after securing them.

Dry beans: when completely dry, beans can be stored for up to a year if kept in good conditions, such as in airtight jars.

Gardener's tip: beans, like all members of the Fabaceae family, can fix nitrogen from the air in the soil through a plant-bacteria symbiosis. They can therefore regenerate soils. Beans can be planted as part of a crop rotation after green manure.
Beans are undemanding in terms of nutrients. Traditionally, bean cultivation is associated in Central and South America with the cultivation of squash and corn, forming a triad with positive companionship. This association is called three sisters. Beans also go well with aunergines, carrots, cabbage, potatoes, and radishes, as they protect each other. However, avoid the presence of alliums or fennels, as their growth inhibits each other.

A spray of nettle manure effectively fights aphid attacks and strengthens plants.