Kidney Beans Seeds 50g

These kidney bean seeds grow into compact, productive bush plants that deliver an abundance of tender green pods. Picked young, the pods are crisp and snap cleanly with a fresh, mildly sweet flavour that shines in everyday cooking. They are wonderful eaten fresh, lightly steamed, sauteed with garlic or stirred into hearty stews and rice dishes, making them a versatile favourite for the home kitchen.

Planting

Sow seed directly in the garden once the last frost has passed and the soil has warmed to at least 16 C at 10 cm depth; germination is fastest near 27 C. Cold soil causes the seed to rot. Plant about 1.5-2.5 cm deep, spacing seeds 5-10 cm apart with rows 60-90 cm apart. Seedlings usually emerge within 8-10 days. In Egypt, sow mid-February to mid-March or from late August through October, favouring the cooler windows in Upper Egypt.

Fertilizing

As a legume, the plant fixes its own nitrogen and needs little feeding; excess nitrogen delays flowering. Work a pre-plant 5-10-10 into the bed at about 1.5 kg per 9.3 m2, and optionally side-dress nitrogen just before first bloom. A Rhizobium inoculant may be added at planting.

Care

Give full sun, at least 6 hours daily and ideally 8-10. Water deeply to wet the soil to 15 cm, supplying about 2.5 cm weekly and more during flowering and pod set. Beans dislike root disturbance, so no transplanting or thinning is needed. Watch for bean beetles, aphids, thrips, mites and stink bugs, plus blight, mould, anthracnose, rust and mosaic virus. Harvest pods young and tender, before the seeds bulge.