Harvesting Dragon Tongue Bush Beans
by Rachel Tayse • June 24, 2010 • Gardening & Pets • 4 Comments
We’re harvesting beans, baskets of beautiful yellow and purple striped beans.
unassuming row of dragon tongue bush beans
These heirloom dragon tongue beans are a bush bean, meaning they do not need to be trellised. They grow down towards the soil hiding under wide umbrella leaves.
The beans can be cooked fresh. Sadly they lose their beautiful coloration, cooking to a light yellow color. They have a buttery taste with a crisp texture, making them delicious steamed or added to stir fries.
The pods can also be left to dry on the vine. When the seedpods are shriveled, pick them and allow them to dry further on a cookie cooling rack. Remove the pod and dry the speckled beans further on a rack on top of the fridge or in another dry place. Store in an airtight container when they are completely dry. Beans can be kept dry this way for up to a year or made into the best beans and rice ever.
Are you growing beans this year? What’s your favorite variety to grow or eat?
Favas, of course! I pulled up the peas two weeks ago, and planted some Scarlet Runner beans, purple podded pole beans (they turn back to plain old green when cooked) and more favas in their place. Already off to a good start!
Beautiful beans! I planted pole beans and am trying something new this year, trellising them up sunflowers. Seems to be working so far. Some of the bean plants have already started climbing up the sunflowers! I also planted lima beans but they never came up. I even planted them twice! I must have got a bad batch that none of them germinated…
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