Anyone growing Edamame beans in 2011?

[Dandytown]

Just wanted to check if anyone else is growing these or planing to.  Would be good to share info as they are apparently difficult to grow.

If you intend to grow I have set 20 seeds aside for goodlife and have about 20 left. PM me for my address and send me a SAE.

Contrary to general advice, I sowed mine at the beginning of March and not in May as is the trend.  That said, the seeds germinated in 3 days (in airing cupboard), spent a further 11 days in doors and then were re potted and spent 14 days in a warm GH before being transplanted in the ground into their final growing position in a cooler GH.

So far so good, 12 plants growing nicely but will keep this thread posted.

[Dandytown]

[Digeroo]

Is this the one that Posh eats to make her took like and undernourished bean pole.

[chriscross1966]

tried it last year, had pretty dreadful germination despite being in a heated propagator and using my generally successful germination regime for other beans (ie I get a lot of self-saevd beans coming through with 90% germination, so 15% on commercial seed is disappointing).... they were outdoors from the start of June having been in a polytunnel, never looked happy in the polytunnel (it wasn't getting too hot, maybe it was too cold at night) they never looked particularly happy outdoors even though chillis, aubergines and peppers seemed fine in the smae bit of the plot.... didn't get a crop, frosts killed them before anythign worth harvesting came through.....
Swindon in Wiltshire so not that far north, but not Cornwall or London....

chrisc

[Dandytown]

I guess when a crop fails its easy not to try again given that our growing lists tend to require more space than we actually have.

Is this the one that Posh eats to make her took like and undernourished bean pole.

I think she looked like that long before the beans.  Not to be harsh (well maybe) but 'you can't polish a .....'
Poor press for the bean I'd say.  

[detailista]

I'm growing them this year. I love them since trying them at Wagamama and Yo Sushi.  (And my chinese supermarket sells them frozen in the pods for £1 for a big bag :)

I have two varieties on the go - Envy and another.  Even the two year old seed germinated  but they were very slow. 

[Dandytown]

Growing Envy too.  When did you sow yours?

[1066]

I grew some last year, and had some success with them, not a massive success but a few good pods to chomp on. I found they were the last of my bean crop to develop. They were grown outside and I tried to give them some shelter. I'm not sure I have the room for them this year what with my climbing peas taking up lots of growing space. I might put them back on the grow list for next year though.

And yes, do let us know about your progress.

[Dandytown]

I am hoping they do well  for I hope to provid them for the 2011 seed share.  Thing is is how will they be recieved by people? I guess proven success and an account of how they were grown will be vital if people are to commmit space.

[gwynleg]

Dandytown - I would receive them very well!! Tried last year, no success, havent tried this year but would really love to grow them. Probably would wait to get advice from you on what works as have little space in titchy greenhouse. good luck with them!

[1066]

I'm sure they'd be recieved very gratefully Dandytown!

BTW I can't remember where abouts you are in the UK

[Dandytown]

I'm in Nottingham and a little south of Goodlife.  

I have posted a picture of the plants on the link below.  I have just done it so it may take a while to update.  Open and then scan down to 9th May.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryView.asp?season=2011&grower=55348&action=L

[Jeannine]

 I have 4 varieties on the go..

Envy which is the earliest but also the lowest yeilding one and the flavour is not the tops but useful as an early.

Tohya  a week later than Envy but with a better yeild and good flavour.

Butterbeans, this is very best in my opinion, the flavour is tops,yeild is high and mostly 3 seeds to a pod but they are a couple of weeks behind the Envy which is important if the weather is a problem.

The last one is Sayamusane ,very reliable, but just the basic 2 beaner.

The seeds hate to be presoaked by the way and will rot very easilky in cold soils.
I start them inside where it is warm but don't use a heated propogater.

I do use bean innoculant on them though. Germination has never been a problem for me

I found them prettyy easy to grow and managed it in Yorkshire..

The May date is for planting straight in the ground, In pots inside start them a few weeks earlier.

They are slow germinators by nature by the way 15/16 days is not uncommon.

Good luck

XX Jeannine

PS if you get flowers and no pods it ius probablt lack of zinc. I give them a fed of kelp emulsion as a precaution

[montbrayon]

I am growing 'Elena' for the first time this year, will plant them later this week outside, will wait to see what comes of them... or not  ???

[Dandytown]

Thanks for the 'lack of Zinc' tip, Jeannine.

It would seem that you are the pro amongst us  :)

[Jeannine]

No, not me, not with soyabeans but I have grown them on and off for some years, here and in the UK.

Bear in mind the maturity date of the early ones is just about the same as Scarlet Emporer runner beans, the late ones are almost a month later so consideration to variety may be an issue in the UK and the starting window is much smaller than for regular beans.

In the Uk I grew them in raised beds and had the soil under plastic for a while before planting out.

Another tip is not to overfeed them with nitrogen,it can delay pod set and maturity.

Pick them regularly, just as they start to fatten up.
Don't overcrowd them, give them air, they disease easily if crowded.

Seems like a daft tjing to say but there are folks who don't realise that two seeds to a pod is the norm although three is a common feature of some of the newer ones.

XX Jeannine

[PurpleHeather]

For the unenlightened of us exactly what are Edamame beans??

I don't mind being known as ignorant but I am always willing to learn.

[Jeannine]

Soya beans, often called Edamame as that is the name of the process the Japanese use to prepare them so called in Sushi bars

[Dandytown]

Well, getting flowers and no pods has not been a problem.  I have pods and have not observed flowers  :o ;D.   Checked today and most of my plants have pods on them and I am delighted.

Jeannine:  When does your 'envy' variety produce beans as I am aware that I set off very early although things seem to be going swimmingly?

[Jeannine]

Well done to you!!

These are days to maturity for what I have.



Envy 75
Butterbeans 90..don't be confused, this is the  proper variety name by the way
Tohya 78
Sayamusume 90

I also have a black seeded one which I haven't grown this year but for interest it is Black Jet, it is primarily for use as a dry bean and takes  longer to get to that, I have never tried it as a fresh bean though, I should do that.

I aslo have a brand new one itr has just arrived and am debating wether to start it or not this year...called Beer Friend, they grower claims it likes cool conditions so it can be started earlier 70 days,2-3 seeds per pod.

I also got some new to me Lima beans in the same parcel yesterday.

For those folks who have never grown them  before, the Japanese way to serve them is to steam or boil them for 3-5 minutes, salt them ans serve them as finger foods,


The seeds are very easily broken by the way so don't crush your seeds packets.

You will get the heaviest weight of seeds at their peak condition if you pick them just as the pods begin to lose their bright green colour, but don't miss it as the window is not very long.
Camp chair and cup of teas comes  n handy of you are trying to be dead accurate LOl

All the above seed are open pollinated so am hoping to grow enough to share in the seed circle.

Oh one other thing, soya beans  seeds don't keep as long as other bean seed so of you have poor germination your seed may not be fresh enough.

XX Jeannine