Dwarf snap bean La Victoire

Dwarf Bean La Victoire is a French bean that provides excellent yield. It produces beautiful, round-sectioned, fleshy, bright green pods averaging 10 mm (0in) long. They are harvested when they reach 12 to 15 cm (5 to 6in) in length and do not develop any strings or become parchment-like. The pods lend themselves to various culinary preparations such as Italian, Indian, or Lebanese recipes that are best enjoyed fresh. These recipes are ideal during summer harvests. La Victoire can be harvested from June to October.

Whether grown for its pod or its seed, the French bean is loved because it is very easy to grow. It is so reliable that the gardener knows the exact date when it will have its first harvest, 60 days after sowing.

Discovered in the New World and acclimatised in Europe since the 16th century, beans have now become essential in all world cuisines. Native Americans grew it for its dried seeds, but it was the Italians who first ate the whole, immature pod in the 18th century.

Beans are climbers with indeterminate growth. Primitive varieties are all climbers and require staking. Later, for practical reasons, dwarf varieties were selected, but all of them have tendrils that can wrap around a support. The pods are typically green, sometimes yellow, striped with red, or even purple. Among the varieties that are eaten at the "fine" or "extra fine" stage, there are some beans that develop strings when ripe. Then the pod becomes parchment-like and loses its taste quality. French beans are generally fleshier and can be consumed entirely, both seeds and pods, even when ripe. More recently created hybrids can be consumed young at the "extra fine" stage or at a more fleshy stage like a French bean because they do not develop strings.

Among shelling beans varieties (i.e., those whose seeds are consumed), the harvest of fresh beans differs from that of dry seeds, which are ready 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 vegetable proteins.

Harvesting: Harvesting fresh beans or young pods begins 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 any colour. For pods to be eaten, harvesting should take place every 2 or 3 days, both at the "fine" and "extra fine" stages. Harvesting dry beans is done by completely cutting the plant, which is then hung in a dry and well-ventilated place. They can be shelled as needed.

Storage: Freezing pods is now the most common method of preservation. To do this, trim them, wash them, blanch them for 5 to 6 minutes in boiling water, and then plunge them into cold water before drying them with a clean towel. The beans can be kept in the freezer at -18°C (-0.4°F). However, canning is regaining popularity among an increasing number of consumers due to the taste qualities inherent in this preservation method. As with freezing, trim, wash, blanch, and then immerse the beans in cold water. Then place them in jars and fill them with boiling salted water. Close the jars and 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 properly.

Dry beans: When completely dry, bean seeds 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 into the soil through a plant-bacteria symbiosis. They can regenerate soils. Beans can be included in crop rotations after green manure. In Central and South America, beans are traditionally grown with squash and corn, forming a beneficial triad. This association is called three sisters. Beans also associate well with aubergines, carrots, cabbage, potatoes, and radishes, as they provide mutual protection. Avoid the presence of onions or fennels, as their growth is inhibited.

Spraying nettle manure helps to effectively control aphids and strengthens the plants.