Growing legumes

[Stefanie O'Brien]

Hi, its seems most of the veges are not in NZ, but if you are have you ever tried growing legumes like chickpeas, lentils, soya beans? Are (organic) seeds available in NZ? What are they like to grow - just like broad beans or sweet peas, or is there a reason that no-one seems to grow them n the backyard? Cheers, Stefanie

[Kali]

oops that was a bit confusing...shellout stage is what you are talking about, when the seeds are at their fully formed fattest before they start to dry out, then its a simple matter to simmer them until tender and dress them or add them to soups. but to keep or store the seeds for winter or for seed they must be left until totally dry , or as close as possible due to weather, before detaching from the plant, any extra drying can be done on the windowsill, at least thats what i do. I enjoy depodding them.

[Stefanie O'Brien]

What do you mean by shellout stage? Are you saying you can't eat them "green" like shelled peas?
Cheers, Stefanie
Kali said:

you have to let legumes dry on the plant, until the pods are crisp, otherwise the seeds will rot, and I think growing them to eat at shellout stage is yummier.

[Kali]

you have to let legumes dry on the plant, until the pods are crisp, otherwise the seeds will rot, and I think growing them to eat at shellout stage is yummier.

[Stefanie O'Brien]

Thanks Kali, great to hear someone else has actually tried to grow drying legumes. I've just put chickpeas in the cylinder cupboard to sprout and will plant soon with the runner beans I've already got in so they can share the climbing stakes. IWe'll see how it goes.
I'm thinking I won't necessarily dry them, will eat fresh, which will be an interesting novelty, and will freeze the rest. How did you dry yours?
I was talking to someone who worked at Koanga when the were trialling their soyabeans, so interesting to hear you're growing them at home. The giveway and advise in the recent NZGardener email newsletter was passed on by someone in the North SHore group, so that gave me the confidence to just give it a crack. I'm just using nonheat treated beans from supermarket bulkbins that I'd bought for eating, so agan we'll see how it goes!
Cheers, Stefanie

Kali said:

I have grown a couple of types of drying dwarf beans (from southern seed exchange and koanga) depending on the variety I got between 400g and 600 g from about 45 plants, so you need a large area to make it worthwhile. drying types of pea are easy to grow and dry off quickly, but again to save enough for a meal you need a lot of plants, although of course you can add just a handful to soups. I am growing some soybeans from koanga this year, the plants are up and looking good so far, will probably eat them edamame style. Shellout varieties of climbing beans such as bob's bean are my favourite thing though, I make delicious bean salads with them, and even scarlet runner seeds when they are fat but before they dry out are bulky and with dressing taste fine, and they are great precooked then added to a minestrone type soup.

[Kali]

I have grown a couple of types of drying dwarf beans (from southern seed exchange and koanga) depending on the variety I got between 400g and 600 g from about 45 plants, so you need a large area to make it worthwhile. drying types of pea are easy to grow and dry off quickly, but again to save enough for a meal you need a lot of plants, although of course you can add just a handful to soups. I am growing some soybeans from koanga this year, the plants are up and looking good so far, will probably eat them edamame style. Shellout varieties of climbing beans such as bob's bean are my favourite thing though, I make delicious bean salads with them, and even scarlet runner seeds when they are fat but before they dry out are bulky and with dressing taste fine, and they are great precooked then added to a minestrone type soup.

[KATE MORONEY]

Koanga gardens in Kaiwaka supply many organic & heritage seeds - check them out:
http://www.koanga.co.nz/
or Kings do some good seeds too

[Stefanie O'Brien]

Thanks Lynn, I wasn't thinking baout drying them, just using them at the time and freezing the rest. I buy frozen green soyabeans sometimes and they're great, so I don't see why lentils etc wouldn't freeze. I imagine the drying would be a very timeconsuming prscess too? Will have to do some reserach re seeds. SOunds like lentils could be a good early spring crop for next year,
Cheers, stefanie
Lynn said:

Hi Stephanie...I've never personally grown either lentils (from the bean family) or chick peas (from the pea family), but they're no harder to grow than beans and peas. I am assuming, though, that unless you want to eat them fresh, you would have to grow a HUGE quantity if you want to dry them for later use. It would obviously depend on the room you have available in the garden. But I do know they can be used fresh off the vine and out of the pods, just like beans and peas. Lentils, however, are a cold weaether starter...in other words, they sprout from seed in COLD weather, not warm, so sowing in the winter or at the first frost is best.

[cath]

Hi! I am a beginner when it comes to growing, but am really interested in growing legumes, like you, wonder why its not more popular to grow them?? guess they are cheap enough to buy ,and maybe they are difficult and time consuming to pick and dry?? does anyone know where to get good advice on growing them? or is anyone growing them?

[Lynn]

Hi Stephanie...I've never personally grown either lentils (from the bean family) or chick peas (from the pea family), but they're no harder to grow than beans and peas. I am assuming, though, that unless you want to eat them fresh, you would have to grow a HUGE quantity if you want to dry them for later use. It would obviously depend on the room you have available in the garden. But I do know they can be used fresh off the vine and out of the pods, just like beans and peas. Lentils, however, are a cold weaether starter...in other words, they sprout from seed in COLD weather, not warm, so sowing in the winter or at the first frost is best.