Page 38 - Bringing out the Potential In Our Children - Gardeners - Food Producers

use a scissors. Pick all pods to keep plants productive.

Shell Beans
Romano, Lima, Southern Peas, Soybeans, Fava, etc. -
come in both bush and pole varieties

Shell beans can also be grown as dried beans. Pick these
varieties when the pods change color and the beans inside are
fully formed but not dried out. Pods should be plump, firm, and
tender. Quality declines if you leave them on the plant too
long. Pick every couple of days to keep the plants productive.

With both shell and snap beans, you can keep the pods in
plastic bags for 1 or 2 weeks in the refrigerator, or freeze the
surplus.

Dried Beans
Great Northern, Navy, Pinto, etc.- come in both bush and
pole varieties

Let the pods get as dry as possible in the garden, and pick
pods of dry beans when they have turned brown and the seeds
have hardened. You'll be able to hear the seeds rattling inside
the pods. If the weather is too damp for the beans to dry,
harvest the plants and hang them upside down indoors.

Pods when thoroughly dry will split readily, making seeds easy
to remove. Shell the beans when they are completely dry, and
place them in an airtight jar with a desiccant to absorb
moisture; store in cool, dry spot for up to a year. Read this
article for more about How To Save Seeds

For more, use our in-depth Growing Guides:

Growing Dried Beans
Growing Fresh Beans

Broccoli Harvest while heads are a deep green, still compact, and
before buds start to open into flowers. If the buds start to
separate and the yellow petals inside start to show, harvest
immediately. Cut the stem at a slant about 4 to 6 inches (10-
15 cm) below the head. Removing the head on some varieties
will produce sideshoots in the axils of leaves and you can get 4
to 6 cuttings of shoots per plant over several weeks. The thick
stems are edible, but they should be peeled first. The leaves
are tough, but usable in soups and stews.

When you bring your broccoli inside, soak the heads in a salt
water mixture (1 to 2 tablespoons (15-30 ml) of salt per gallon
(3.8 l) of water for 20-30 minutes before cooking or storing.
This will drive out any cabbageworms hiding in the heads.
Broccoli will keep for a week or so in the refrigerator if
wrapped in plastic. The best way to store broccoli for longer
periods is to blanch and freeze it.

For more, use our in-depth Growing Guide: