Common bean Spaghetto

The Spaghetto Dwarf Snap Bean does not parch, does not produce thread. Its long, slender, fleshy pods are dark green with a round tip. Delicious and tender, they lend themselves to all culinary variations. There are indeed many ways to enjoy snap beans, but nothing beats simplicity: garlic and parsley, its pods allow you to appreciate their full flavor. Spaghetto can be sown from April to July and harvested from July to September.

Whether consumed for its pod or its seed, the bean is a highly appreciated vegetable in gardens because it is very easy to grow. It is so punctual that the gardener knows the exact date when it will be ready for the first harvest, which is 60 days after sowing.

Discovered in the New World and acclimated 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, in the 18th century, initiated the consumption of the whole immature pod. The bean is a vine plant with indeterminate growth. Primitive varieties are all vine plants and require staking. Later, for practical reasons, dwarf varieties were selected, but they all have tendrils that can wrap around a support. The pods are generally green, sometimes yellow (butter beans), striped with red or even amethyst. Among the varieties that are eaten at the "fine" or "extra fine" stage, there are snap beans that develop threads when fully ripe. Then the pod becomes parchment-like and loses its taste. The snap bean is generally more fleshy and can be consumed entirely, both the seeds and the pods, even when fully ripe. The more recently created "filet - mangetout" beans can be consumed when young and "extra fine" or at a more fleshy stage like a snap bean because they do not develop threads.

Among the "shell" varieties (i.e., those whose seeds are consumed), the harvest of fresh seeds is distinguished from that of dry seeds, which occurs 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 especially plant proteins.

Harvesting: the harvest of fresh seeds or young pods begins 60 days after sowing. For fresh seeds, it must be done before the pods start to dehydrate and become wrinkled. The seeds should barely take on their color. For pod consumption, harvest should take place every 2 or 3 days, at the "fine" and "extra fine" stages for snap beans. The harvest of dry seeds is done by completely cutting the plant, which is then hung in a dry and airy place. They can be shelled as needed.

Storage: freezing pods is currently the most common method of preservation. To do this, remove the stems, wash the pods, blanch them for 5 to 6 minutes in boiling water, then plunge them into cold water before drying them with a clean cloth. Once packaged, the beans can be placed in the freezer at -18°C (-0.4°F). However, canning is regaining its popularity among an increasing number of consumers due to the taste qualities inherent in this method of preservation. Just like freezing, remove the stems, wash and blanch the beans, then immerse them in cold water. Then place them in jars and fill them with salted boiling water. Seal the jars and sterilize them in a pressure cooker or sterilizer for 1 hour and 30 minutes over medium heat. To do this, completely cover the jars with water after securely sealing them.

Dry beans: when properly dried, bean seeds can be stored for up to a year if stored in good conditions, such as in airtight jars.

Gardener's tip: beans, like all members of the Fabaceae family, have the ability to fix nitrogen from the air in the soil through a plant-bacteria symbiosis. They therefore have the ability to regenerate soils. Beans can be included in crop rotation after burying green manure. The bean is a plant that is not very demanding in nutrients. Traditionally, bean cultivation in Central and South America is associated with the cultivation of squash and maize, forming a beneficial triad. This association is locally called Milpa. Beans also associate well with eggplants, carrots, cabbage, potatoes, and radishes, as they protect each other. Avoid the presence of alliums or fennel, as their growth inhibits each other.

A spray of nettle manure allows for effective control of aphid attacks and strengthens the plants that benefit from it.