Grow Your Own Soybeans

Add a bit of fiber to your garden and diet.  Consider growing edible soybeans in this year’s garden.

Soybeans can be grown in a variety of soils and climate.  They tolerate adverse conditions, but perform best in warm temperatures, full sun, and moist well-drained soils. Add organic matter to less-than-ideal soils to improve drainage and increase the water holding capacity as needed.

Plant and manage edible soybeans the same as you would lima beans.  Try growing one of the edible soybean varieties such as Green Legend, Lucky Lion, Giant Green, Verde, or others suited for home gardens.  They have a better flavor and are more suited to your garden and recipes than field varieties.

Harvest the soybeans when the pods are plump, green, rough, and hairy.  They are usually ready to harvest in 99 to 120 days, depending on the variety.  Check frequently and pick when the seeds are fully enlarged, but before they get hard.

A bit more information: Don’t wait too long to harvest.  You’ll taste the difference as the flavor and quality quickly declines. And since the seed filled pods usually ripen at the same time, you can pull up the whole plant and harvest the seeds from the pods while sitting on a chair in the shade.

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