Soybeans are a fast and easy to grow bean. They have many uses in food products, as well as being good for your garden. They are sometimes used as a "green manure", which is a plant that is grown for the purpose of providing organic matter in the soil. After the plants are grown they are tilled under into the soil. Soybeans have nodules that grow off their roots that convert nitrogen gases into nitrogen compounds in the soil. Soybeans are part of the leguminosae family and are rich in protein. Due to the ease of growth and their many uses, soybeans are a great crop to add to your garden. Here are tips to help your soybean crop grow great.
Growth Tips
-Soybeans need a lot of sun and can mildew if they are in a moist climate. Try to plant them where they will not get shaded by other crops and can get a nice breeze.
-Soybeans are a pole bean, which means they need something to grow on. You can use poles stuck into the ground and aid the beans in twisting around them. Some people place three poles in the ground in a triangle and tie them together at the top. The beans are then plants at the bottom of the poles. The plants may need to be thinned as they grow to prevent overcrowding.
- Wet soil can rot the seeds, so there must be good drainage in the soil. A raised bed may work best if you live in a wet climate or your garden is in a wet area.
- Rotate your soybean crops from year-to-year. This means not to plant soybeans in the same spot as the year before. Also avoid planting where other legumes have recently grown.
- Dust seeds with a bacterial innoculant to speed up the growth of nitrogen helping nodules. This will also reduce the need for any fertilizing
- Pole beans can take as long as ten weeks to start producing, so if you would like to speed it up you can add a low nitrogen fertilizer to the soil.
- Plant the soybeans about one and a half to two inches deep. Make sure the topsoil is soft and loose. If your soil is lumpy try to loosen any large lumps.
- Soybeans can stand the chilly weather of early Spring, so you can try an early crop. Plant early crops only one inch deep. Do not try to plant if the soil is under 65 degrees.
Maintenance Tips
- Mulch is helpful for soybeans as it prevents damage to the delicate root system that can occur during weeding. It also prevents over-watering and keeps the soil moist, but not saturated. If the soil drys out too much the beans will only grow a little then curl up at the ends and reduce the amount of beans you will get from the crop.
- Do not touch or move around in a crop with wet leaves. This causes the spread of disease amongst plants.
- Soybeans can be bothered by Mexican bean beetles, Japanese beetles, and aphids. Pick off or spray off any bugs and scrap off any egg masses you see to prevent damage.
- Soybeans can get diseases, like anthrecnose, bacterial blight and mosaic. If you have a disease problem make sure you are rotting the crops and buy seeds that are a disease resistant variety.
Harvest Tips
-Let the pods get brown and dry before picking. If you expect frost you can pick before this and finish drying inside, but it is best if they are left to dry on the vine, if possible.
- Before shelling them put them in the freezer for about 3 hours. This kills anything that may be inside, such as bugs or their eggs.
- Store your beans in a container with a lid in a dry cool place.
Soybeans are rarely, if ever, a hassle to the gardener. Their benefits outweigh any complaint that could come up. If you have never tried growing soybeans now is the time to start. Watch how many you plant because you could end up with way more than expected. Follow the tips listed here and you should have a bumper crop of soybeans this year.
