Common bean Tendergreen

The Tendergreen Dwarf Bean has a flat pod, 10 to 12 mm (0 to 1in) wide, fleshy, the same tender green color as the foliage and 15 cm (6in) long. It does not form a filament and offers the best flavor for amateur bean gardeners. The seeds turn black speckled with mauve when ripe. It is great to find this bean in Niçoise salads or dishes where simplicity allows this bean to showcase its taste.
This dwarf variety reaches a height of 45 cm (18in) and, being compact, is ideal for small spaces such as a patio, window ledge, or balcony. Tendergreen also tolerates short or humid summers. Sow from April to July to harvest from June 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 the first harvest will take place, which is 60 days after sowing.

Discovered in the New World and acclimatized in Europe from the 16th century, the bean has now become an essential legume in diets around 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 vine plant with indeterminate growth. Primitive varieties are all climbing plants 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), striated with red or even amethyst. Among the varieties that are eaten at the "fine" or "extra fine" stage, there are "string beans" that develop filaments when 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 "string - snap" beans can be consumed when young and "extra fine", or at a more fleshy stage like a snap bean because they do not form filaments.

Among the "shell" varieties (where only the 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.

Harvest: The harvest of fresh beans or young pods begins 60 days after sowing. For fresh beans, it must be done before the pods start to dehydrate and develop wrinkles. The beans should barely take on their color. For pod consumption, the harvest should take place every 2 or 3 days, at the "fine" and "extra fine" stages for string beans. The harvest of dry beans 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 the pods is now 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 towel. Once placed in bags, 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 inherent taste qualities of this preservation method. As with freezing, remove the stems, wash and blanch the beans, then place them in jars and fill them with salted boiling water. Close the jars and sterilize them in a pressure cooker or sterilizer for 1 hour and 30 minutes over medium heat. Make sure the jars are completely covered with water and well secured.

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, have the ability to fix nitrogen from the air in the soil through a plant-bacteria symbiosis. They have the ability to regenerate soils. Beans can be planted as part of a crop rotation after burying green manure. In Central and South America, beans are traditionally associated with the cultivation of squash and corn, forming a beneficial triad. This association is locally known as Milpa. Beans also associate well with eggplants, carrots, cabbages, 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 can effectively control aphid attacks and strengthen the plants that have benefited from it.