Dwarf Bean Sonata extra fine

The Sonate French Bean is a variety with extra fine pods that are light green, 13 to 14 cm (5 to 6in) long, and round in shape. It does not develop strings or become parchment-like, and it is loved for its early harvest. It can be sown from April to August and harvested from June to October. The Sonate Bean is highly resistant to viruses.

Whether consumed for its pods or its seeds, the bean is a very popular vegetable in gardens because it is very easy to grow. It is so reliable that the gardener knows the exact date when they will harvest their first beans, 60 days after sowing.

Discovered in the New World and acclimatised in Europe since the 16th century, 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.

French beans are climbers with indeterminate growth. 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, striped with red, or even amethyst. Among the varieties that are eaten at the fine or extra fine stage, there are string beans that have strings when fully ripe. Afterwards, 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 pods, even when fully ripe. The more recently created stringless-snap beans can be consumed when young as extra fine until they become fleshy like a snap bean, as they do not develop strings.

Among shelling beans (those whose only consumed part is the seed), a distinction is made between harvesting fresh beans and 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 vegetable proteins.

Harvesting: The first harvest of fresh beans or young pods will be 60 days after sowing. For fresh beans, it must be done before the pods start to dry and develop wrinkles. The beans should barely have taken 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. Harvest dried beans by cutting the entire plant, which is then hung in a dry and airy place. The beans 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 cloth. Once placed in a bag, the beans can be stored in the freezer at -18°C (-0.4°F). However, canning is regaining popularity among an increasing number of consumers due to the inherent taste qualities of this preservation method. Like freezing, remove the stems, wash and blanch the beans, then place them in jars and fill them with boiling salted water. Seal 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 well.

Dried beans: Completely dry beans 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, can fix nitrogen from the air in the soil through a plant-bacteria symbiosis. They can regenerate soils. Beans can be included in crop rotation after green manure. In Central and South America, beans are traditionally grown alongside squash and corn, forming a triad with positive companionship. This association is known as three sisters. Beans also associate well with aubergines, carrots, cabbage, potatoes, and radishes, as they mutually protect each other. However, avoid planting them near alliums or fennel, as their growth is inhibited.

Spraying with nettle manure is an effective way to combat aphid attacks and strengthen the plants.