Dwarf Bean with Boston string

The Boston Dwarf Bean produces dark green pods that are 15cm (6in) long, straight, fleshy, and round in cross-section. They develop an excellent flavour that is perfect for Niçoise salads or dishes where simplicity allows this bean to shine.
The compact and bushy appearance of the plants makes them ideal for small spaces: at only 45cm (18in) tall, they can easily be placed on a windowsill or in a corner of a balcony for easy access to their precious fruit.
This Boston Bean produces long clusters abundantly over a long period. In fact, you can harvest it from May to September after sowing from February to July. The RHS has also recognised the qualities of this variety by awarding it the highly coveted Garden Merit prize.

Whether consumed for its pod or its seed, beans are highly appreciated vegetables in gardens because they are very easy to grow. They are so punctual that gardeners know the exact day when they will have their first harvest, which is 60 days after sowing.

Discovered in the New World and acclimatised in Europe from the 16th century onwards, beans have now become an essential legume in diets all around the world. Native Americans cultivated them for their dried seeds, but it was the Italians who, in the 18th century, introduced the consumption of the whole immature pod.
Beans are climbing plants with indeterminate growth. The primitive varieties are all climbers and require support. Later, for practical reasons, dwarf varieties were selected, but they all have tendrils that can wrap around a support.
Pods are usually green, sometimes yellow, striped with red, or even amethyst. Among the varieties that are eaten when fine or extra fine, there are string beans that have 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 stringless-snap beans can be consumed when young and extra fine, or when more fleshy like a snap bean, as they do not develop strings.

Among the shell beans (i.e., beans where only the seeds are consumed), a distinction is made between harvesting fresh beans and dry beans, which is done 90 days after sowing.

Immature green bean 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 should be done before the pods start to dehydrate and develop wrinkles. The beans should barely start to take on their colour. For pod consumption, harvest every 2 or 3 days when they are fine or extra fine for string beans. Harvesting dry beans involves cutting the entire plant and hanging it in a dry and airy place. They can be shelled as needed.

Storage: Freezing pods is the most common method of preservation today. To do this, trim, wash, blanch for 5 to 6 minutes in boiling water, then plunge into cold water before drying with a clean towel. 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 taste qualities inherent in this preservation method. As with freezing, trim, wash, blanch, then immerse the beans in cold water. Put them in jars and fill them with salted boiling water. Seal the jars and sterilise them in a pressure cooker or steriliser at medium heat for 1 hour and 30 minutes, completely covering the jars with water after securing them properly.

Dry beans: Once 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 therefore have the ability to regenerate soil. Beans can be included in crop rotation after burying green manure.
Traditionally, bean cultivation in Central and South America is associated with squash and corn, forming a beneficial triad. This association is locally known as Milpa. Beans also associate well with eggplants, carrots, cabbage, potatoes, and radishes, as they provide mutual protection. However, avoid planting them near alliums or fennel, as their growth inhibits each other.

A spray of nettle extract allows for effective control of aphid attacks and strengthens the plants.