A pod, or often called a green bean, is the fruit of a leguminous bean. There are several varieties of that bean. Some varieties are good for consumption with stalks, with some, only the grain is removed and cooked, while others are better for drying the grain, which is later used for cooking. We distinguish pod varieties by their shape: some are wider, some are narrower, cylindrical or flat, shorter or longer, etc. When it comes to color, we distinguish pods that are darker or light green, green with red or purple spots, light yellow pods, and the like. When the cultivation of pods is mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind here is young, green pods, although other types are also consumed quite often.
Pod or legume bean belongs to the legume family (Fabaceae). It is from the same genus as beans, only they belong to different varieties. Varieties are grown for pods, from which edible, juicy pods with semi-ripe grains are obtained in the semi-ripe state. Due to their nutrients, beans and legumes are considered one of the largest and most valuable sources of plant proteins in the human diet.
The most famous legumes are peas, beans, broad beans, lentils, chickpeas, peanuts, almonds, carob, soybeans and even clover and fenugreek.
Pod stalks can grow 60 – 130 cm in height, depending on the variety being grown. The flowers of the pod are usually purple or white, and the characteristics of the pod and its fruit also vary depending on the variety. Legumes have a spindle-shaped, highly branched root full of tiny root hairs.
Types of pods
We distinguish short and tall varieties of pods.
Low pod varieties:
- Autan – a round, long and thin green pod, excellent for freezing. It is planted from the beginning of May until the middle of June.
- Berggold – the fruits are round and yellow in color and have an excellent taste.
- Dorina – a very fruitful variety, provides round pods of dark yellow color.
- Groffy – produces round green pods, 12 – 13 cm long.
- Top crop – also produces round and yellow pods, but slightly longer than the previously mentioned ones.
- Early wax – a variety that is sensitive to frost and is not sown until the average daily temperature is somewhere between 12 – 18°C. It produces yellow, round pods.
- Starozagorske – has flat, light green pods.
- Winnetou – a type that is good for canning. It produces round, purple fruits.
- Processor – sown from May to June and produces green pods, oval in cross-section.
Tall varieties of pods:
- Miracle of Venice – variety with wide and flat, very fleshy yellow pods. It is sown from May to June, and ripens in October.
- Goldmarie – a very fertile variety that provides wide and flat pods of yellow color. Pods can be up to 20 cm long.
- Golddelfe – sown in late May or early September and has long, narrow and flat yellow pods.
- Mago – medium-early and very fertile variety that has round, rather long pods of yellow color.
- Necores – has green pods up to 20 cm long and round in cross-section.
- Nekar kraljica – a variety with round and fleshy pods of a beautiful green color. It is suitable for freezing.
- Blue Hilda – produces round and long purple pods that turn green after heat treatment. It is planted in late May or early June.
- Blue buttercup – produces long, flat purple pods. The stem can grow up to 2.5 m in height.
- Super Marconi – produces short, flat and twisted green pods. It is planted from April to August and develops a lush and tall stem (up to 4 meters).
- Procores – has flat green pods up to 25 cm long and 2.5 cm wide.
Planting pods
Pods are grown in the same crop rotation every four years, and good neighbors are tomatoes and peppers, because pods supply the soil with the nitrogen these plants need. Planting pods can be done at the end of April at the earliest, but it is most often done in mid-June.
Soil preparation begins in the fall, and plowing is done at a depth of 30 cm. Loose and crumbly soils with a pH value of 6.5 to 7.5 are ideal for growing pods. All soils that are more acidic than that should be calcified.
Organic and mineral fertilizers are mainly used to fertilize pods. The pod does not need much nitrogen fertilizer, except at the beginning of development. For basic fertilization, 500 – 600 kilograms of NPK fertilizer 1:14:21 are needed. The plantation is not fed in the spring, unless the plants grow very slowly, so KAN fertilizer can be added in the amount of 100 kg/ha.
Pods are sown when the soil temperature reaches 10°C, in spring or early summer – depending on whether it is a Mediterranean or continental climate. Sowing is done manually on smaller areas, and with pneumatic seeders on larger ones. Pod seeds are sown at a distance of 5 cm, while there should be a distance of 50 cm between the rows. The sowing depth is 5 cm. Depending on the variety, i.e. the size of the seeds, 80 to 100 kg of seeds are needed for one hectare.
After sowing, it is recommended to cover the ground with a soft fabric to protect it from unplanned cold weather, and this will also protect the first young plants.
Cultivation of pods
A lot of heat is needed for the successful cultivation of pods. The optimal air temperature during sowing is 20 – 23°C, and in the vegetation phase 18 – 25°C. At the time of flowering, the temperature should not exceed 30°C, because high temperatures make fertilization and fruit set difficult.
When it comes to water, pods have moderate requirements. Pods should be irrigated regularly, and the soil in which we grow them must be well drained and permeable so that water does not stay around the roots and cause the development of diseases and rot. The plantation is irrigated by soaking the furrow, because watering can encourage the development of various diseases, especially bacterial ones.
The plantation should also be dug several times, in order to break the crust and ensure a better flow of water. In addition, weeding, i.e. destruction of weeds, should also be carried out.
Since the pod is a climbing plant, for its growth it is necessary to provide a net or stakes at least 2 meters high, and that for each plant separately.
Diseases and pests
The pod is most susceptible to disease attacks before the beginning and during flowering. As the temperature rises, so does the risk of disease appearing on the leaves and on the fruits themselves. Diseases that attack pods are brown spot, rust and ring spot.
Pests can cause aphids and bean weevils, and sometimes there is a risk of phytophagous mites. If the plantations are not regularly harvested and cleaned of weeds, there is a possibility of the appearance of the nettle mite.
Given that the pods develop during high temperatures, copper fungicides should not be used to protect against fungal diseases. Plants are helped by the application of nutrients containing seaweed or amino acids, as a preventive measure, so that the plant becomes stronger and can defend itself against disease attacks.
Harvesting and storage
Pods are harvested when the pods are technologically mature, and the degree of maturity is determined by the development of the grains inside the pod. Most often, this time is 50 – 70 days after sowing. Harvesting is done with harvesters on larger areas, and by hand on smaller areas, so that the pods are separated from the stalks. Only healthy fruits are harvested, and on average it is possible to achieve yields of 10 tons per hectare.
The pods are best used for consumption immediately after harvesting, because they lose water and color with longer storage or preservation and become dry and pale. We can effectively preserve pods for a long time only by freezing them, before which they should be briefly blanched.
Pods can be kept fresh for ten days if we store them at a temperature of 5 – 7°C, with a relative humidity of 95 – 100%. At a temperature of 15°C, we can preserve them for up to four days.
Use of pods
Preparations
Cookery
Green beans are a common food item in our cuisine, both continental and Mediterranean. They are most often prepared as a stew or steamed, i.e. leso, and then seasoned only with salt and olive oil.
Steamed green beans can also be prepared as a salad, seasoned with vinegar, garlic and Mediterranean spices as desired. It is always recommended to steam green beans because, in addition to being ready quickly, they preserve most of the valuable nutrients. Green beans prepared in this way can be combined with various vegetables, most often potatoes, but various other vegetables can also be used.
Beans can be eaten with rice, as a side dish with meat and fish or with pasta. As already mentioned, pods can be added to various stews, and they go well with cooked dry meat, sausages and in combinations. Considering that they are very light, they are a favorite food of many people because they are just as tasty if they are consumed chilled, seasoned and made “on a salad”.
Medicine
Beans are a very healthy food and contain very few calories, a small amount of fat and not a little cholesterol. On the other hand, they contain a large percentage of vitamins, minerals and fiber. When it comes to vitamins, they contain vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamins B1, B2 and B6, vitamin E and vitamin A in larger quantities. They contain copper, manganese, chromium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, sodium and iron. They also contain a considerable amount of protein and omega-3 fatty acids.
By regularly consuming green beans, especially if they are steamed so that their nutritional value is not completely destroyed, we can have a significant effect on the reduction of cholesterol in the blood.
In addition, pods also help with sugar regulation, which controls existing diabetes and prevents future ones. Due to the fiber they contain, pods also help maintain body weight. They stimulate emptying of the bowels and prevent the occurrence of more serious intestinal diseases. They soften the stool and reduce the possibility of hemorrhoids.
Potassium and vitamin K from pods strengthen bones and stimulate other metabolic processes, and antioxidants prevent various inflammatory and infectious diseases and strengthen immunity. Pods also contain folic acid, which helps in the development of the fetus, so they are also recommended for pregnant women.
Interesting things
Beans are originally from South America, where the Incas and Mayans began to grow them. Therefore, they have been a part of the diet in these areas for thousands of years and remain an important part of Mexican cuisine to this day. After the discovery of new continents, pods finally arrived in Europe, by Spanish ships.
Beans are an important source of protein, and more than 150 types of legumes are grown today, including vetch.
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