Phaseolus vulgaris Mascotte

The dwarf French bean Mascotte is an extra fine variety, very productive and perpetual, which offers, over a long period, an abundance of stringless, crunchy, tender, and flavorful beans. These pods are carried well above the foliage, making harvesting easier. Compact (30 cm (12in) tall and wide), it doesn't take up much space and has a strong root system, which allows it to be grown in containers, in a minimal amount of soil.

The Mascotte snap bean is an ideal variety for balconies or terraces (but will also find its place in small vegetable gardens) as it is also very ornamental.

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 gardeners know the exact date when they will harvest their first crop, which is 60 days after sowing.

Discovered in the New World and acclimated 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 pod by picking it immature.
The bean is a climbing plant with indeterminate growth. Primitive varieties are all pole beans and require support. Later, for practical reasons, dwarf varieties were selected, but all of them have tendrils that can wrap around a support.
The pods are generally green, sometimes yellow (butter beans), streaked 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. Then the pod becomes parchment-like and loses its taste.
The snap bean is generally fleshier and can be consumed entirely, both the seeds and the pods, even when fully ripe. More recently created stringless snap beans can be consumed young in the extra fine stage or until they become fleshier like a snap bean because they do not form strings.

Among the shell beans (i.e., beans where only the seeds are consumed), we distinguish between harvesting fresh beans and harvesting dry seeds, which is 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 plant proteins.

Harvesting: Harvesting fresh beans or young pods starts 60 days after sowing. For fresh beans, it should be done before the pods start to dehydrate and develop wrinkles. The beans should barely take on their color. For pod consumption, harvest every 2 or 3 days, both at the fine and extra fine stages for string beans. Harvesting dry beans is done by cutting the whole 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 cloth. Once packaged, the beans can be placed 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. Just like freezing, trim, wash, blanch, and then immerse the beans in cold water. Put them in jars and fill them with salted boiling water. Close the jars and sterilize them in a pressure cooker or with a sterilizer for 1 hour and 30 minutes over medium heat. To do this, completely cover the jars with water after securing them well.

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.

A 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 can therefore regenerate soils. 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 called Milpa. Beans also associate well with eggplants, carrots, cabbage, potatoes, and radishes as they protect each other. Avoid planting them near alliums or fennel, as their growth is inhibited.

A spray of nettle manure allows for effective control of aphid attacks and strengthens the plants that have benefited from it.