Bean, Panther Edamame

This unique edamame has a deeper, nuttier flavor than grocery store varieties and gives you a bonus crop—if you let some pods mature, they turn into beautiful black soybeans for tofu or soy milk. Harvest all at once when the leaves start yellowing for the best texture, then blanch and freeze what you can't eat fresh.

Bean: Elevate your garden and your plate with these versatile, nitrogen-fixing beans! A true dual-purpose crop, they improve your soil while providing abundant harvests of crisp pods or creamy seeds. Choose from fast-maturing bush varieties (50-60 days) that require no support or pole varieties that climb trellises (6-8 feet) to produce continuously for months (60-70 days). Enjoy them fresh as snap beans, or use them as shell beans or dry beans for protein-rich winter storage. From colorful Dragon Tongue to Italian Romano, these legumes offer diverse flavors and textures for every meal.

• Growing Tips: Transplant carefully after the last frost when soil reaches 60°F, spacing bush types 4-6 inches apart and pole types 6 inches apart near supports. Beans have delicate roots and are sensitive to disturbance, so handle minimally.

• Sun Requirements: Full sun (6-8 hours minimum) is required for optimal pod production, flowering, and disease resistance.

• Preferred Soil: Use well-drained, average soil with moderate fertility and a pH of 6.0-7.0. Avoid excessive nitrogen, which promotes leaf growth over pod production.

• Harvest Details: Pick snap beans when the pods are firm but the seeds are still small; harvest daily at peak production to encourage continued pod set for 4-6 weeks.