Dwarf snap bean Purple Teepee

The Purple Teepee dwarf bean has dark purple, almost black, pods and green flesh. These pods are typically 10 to 15cm (4 to 6in) long and produce beige seeds. They cluster together above the foliage, making them easy to pick. Even when small, the plants are vigorous and resistant to most bean diseases. Their size and compact habit indeed make them ideal for window sills or balconies, alongside herbs for cooking. The beautiful black pods turn emerald green when cooked. Sow Purple Teepee from April to July and harvest the fruits from June to September.

Whether consumed for its pods or its seeds, the bean is a highly appreciated vegetable in gardens because it is very easy to grow. It is so punctual that gardeners know the exact date when they will harvest their first crop, which is 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, in the 18th century, introduced the consumption of the whole immature pod.

The bean is a climbing vine. Primitive varieties are all climbing and require support. Later, for practical reasons, dwarf varieties were selected, but they all have tendrils that can wrap around a support. The pods are usually green, sometimes yellow (butter beans), streaked with red, or even amethyst. Among the varieties that are eaten when young or extra fine, there are string beans that have strings when fully ripe. Then the pod becomes parchment-like and loses its taste. The mangetout bean is generally fleshy and can be consumed entirely, both the seeds and the pods, even when fully ripe. More recently created string-less mangetout beans can be eaten when young and extra fine or when more fleshy, like a mangetout, as they do not form strings.

Among the shelling varieties (i.e., those in which only the seeds are consumed), the harvest of fresh beans differs from that of dried 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. Dried beans are also rich in vitamin C, trace elements, and especially plant proteins.

Harvesting: Harvesting of fresh beans or young pods begins 60 days after sowing. For fresh beans, it should be done before the pods start to dehydrate and become wrinkled. The beans should barely take on their colour. For pod consumption, harvesting should take place every 2 or 3 days, both at the young and extra fine stages for string beans. Harvesting of dried beans is done by cutting the entire plant, which is then hung in a dry, well-ventilated place. The beans can be shelled as needed.

Storage: Freezing the pods is currently the most common method of preservation. To do this, remove the stem ends, wash the pods, blanch them for 5 to 6 minutes in boiling water, then plunge them into cold water and dry them with a clean towel. Once placed in bags, the beans can be stored in the freezer at -18°C (-0.4°F). However, canning is regaining popularity for an increasing number of consumers due to the taste qualities associated with this preservation method. As with freezing, remove the stem ends, wash the beans, blanch them, and then immerse them in cold water. Place them in jars, fill with salted boiling water, seal the jars, and sterilise in a pressure cooker or with a steriliser for 1 hour and 30 minutes over medium heat. Completely cover the jars with water after securely sealing them.

Dried beans: Once fully 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, have the ability to fix nitrogen from the air in the soil through a plant-bacteria symbiosis. They are therefore capable of regenerating soils. Beans can be included in crop rotations after incorporating green manure. In Central and South America, beans are traditionally grown together with squash and corn, forming a beneficial triad. This association is locally known as Milpa. Beans also pair well with eggplants, carrots, cabbages, potatoes, and radishes, as they protect each other. Avoid planting them near alliums or fennel, as their growth inhibits each other.

A spray of nettle fertiliser is effective in both combating aphid attacks and strengthening the plants.