Vanilla Dwarf Green Bean - Vilmorin seeds

The dwarf green bean Vanilla is a very fine Vilmorin selection, beautifully presented, which produces short, thin, straight beans of a shiny dark green colour, without any strings even at an advanced stage, crunchy, tender and with exquisite flavour. It is sown from April to July for a harvest from July to September. The packet contains the quantity of seeds necessary to sow 20 linear meters of plants.

The dwarf bean Vanilla is a small variety that will find its place in small vegetable gardens, but also in pots, as it is also very ornamental with its dark foliage and shiny pods. They can be harvested both at the filet stage when the pods are young and at the mangetout stage just before the formation of seeds, as they do not form any strings even at an advanced stage.

Whether consumed for its pods or its seeds, the bean is a highly appreciated vegetable in gardens, as it is very easy to grow. It is so punctual that the gardener knows the exact date when he will make his first harvest, 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 all world cuisines. Native Americans cultivated it for its dried seeds, but it was the Italians who, in the 18th century, initiated the consumption of the whole pod by picking it immature.
The bean is a vine with indeterminate growth. Primitive varieties are all climbing 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, striped with red or even amethyst. Among the varieties that are eaten at the fine or extra fine stage, there are string beans that develop strings when fully ripe. Then the pod becomes parchment-like and loses its taste quality.
The mangetout bean is generally more fleshy and can be consumed entirely, both the seeds and the pods, even when fully ripe. The more recently created filet - mangetout beans can be consumed when young and extra fine or when more fleshy like a mangetout, as they do not develop any strings.

Among the shell beans (i.e., beans whose seeds are consumed), we distinguish between harvesting fresh beans and dry beans, which is 90 days after sowing.

Immature green pods are known for their richness in vitamins A, B9 and C, trace elements and minerals. Dry beans are also very rich in vitamin C, trace elements and especially vegetable proteins.

Harvesting: 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 colour. For pod consumption, the harvest will take place every 2 or 3 days, both at the fine and extra fine stage for string beans. The harvest of dry beans is done by cutting the whole plant and hanging it in a dry and well-ventilated place. They can be shelled as needed.

Storage: freezing the pods is currently the most common method of preservation. For this, they need to be trimmed, washed, blanched for 5 to 6 minutes in boiling water, then immersed in 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. However, canning is regaining its popularity among an increasing number of consumers due to the taste qualities inherent in this preservation method. Like freezing, trim, wash, blanch, then immerse the beans in cold water. Put them in jars and fill them with salted boiling water. Close the jars and sterilise in a pressure cooker or with a steriliser for 1 hour and 30 minutes over medium heat, completely covering the jars with water after securely sealing them.

Dry beans: when completely dry, bean seeds 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, have the ability to fix nitrogen from the air into the soil thanks to a plant-bacteria symbiosis. They therefore have the ability to regenerate soils. Beans can be included in crop rotations after burying green manure.
Traditionally, bean cultivation in Central and South America is 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, cabbage, potatoes, and radishes, as they protect each other. Avoid the presence of alliums or fennel, as their growth inhibits each other.

Spraying with nettle extract allows for effective control of aphid attacks and also strengthens the plants.