Vegetables

Growing Dried Beans

Planning vegetable production at the Jardins du Bassin Louise is far from being done on the corner of a table. Several months before the start of the season, I enter a long and exciting process of dreaming up the next season. It’s really a time I love. I go through seed catalogs, discover new varieties, I’m totally absorbed. I have to plan the crops, yes, but also the different varieties, the quantities, the rotations, the sowings and the tasks involved. It’s like creating a choreography. I always try to have the whole thing finished by Christmas, which includes buying the seeds.

As you can see, this game plan sets the pace for the season. I adopted this method to structure myself, yes, but also because I know full well that there will be dozens of unforeseen events and changes that I hadn’t thought of. We work with living things, so adaptation is part of my daily routine.

Gardening With the Unforeseen

Well, once again this year I was taken by surprise by an unforeseen event. My production was planned for the 36 containers and the greenhouse, but I hadn’t touched the 12 extra containers that had an undefined destiny. At the end of March, I learned that we could grow them! Needless to say, I had no idea what to put in them. The end of March may still seem early in the season to some, but I’ve already been planting for a while. What could I possibly put in there? Increase the quantities of what’s already planned, get rid of old seeds, try something out of the ordinary?

Chickpeas are growing! Photo : Les Urbainculteurs

Sow the Seeds of Discovery

I found the last option very interesting. One of the main thrusts of our urban farm is to develop a demonstration area where we can try out a variety of productions. In this case, why not try something completely different?

I looked through the seeds available at the office and came across several varieties of dried beans, even chickpeas. Bingo! I’d found something to pique curiosity about. I was happy because I’d never done this before. I also knew that the civic involvement volunteers working with us would be really intrigued.

But be warned, my experiment didn’t cover all 12 bins; I concentrated on 2 50-foot bins to start with. The others were filled with other finds!

Testing Ground

We tried Hopi Black beans, Henderson bush lima beans, different varieties of soybeans donated by a volunteer, and Black Kabouli chickpeas. Each variety has its own specific spacing, but overall I have to say it was pretty easy. Vermicompost and fertilization at sowing, then we fertilized once in the summer.

Some damage was caused by Japanese beetles, but for the rest, we just watched the plants grow. Everyone was intrigued and eager to see the results. Here are a few of the things we learned over the course of the season.

A Few Observations

Chickpeas

The chickpea plants were aesthetically wonderful. The delicate foliage was a real eye-catcher for many. We harvested the chickpeas when the pods were dry on the plant. What a surprise to find that the chickpea made individual pods. Yes, there was only one pea, sometimes two per pod. You can imagine how long it took to shell all that! Despite all the hard work, it was a great experience.

Chickpeas in their pods. Photo : Les Urbainculteurs
Shelled chickpeas. Photo : Les Urbainculteurs

Beans

The Hopi Black beans produced the highest yields. They dried quickly on the plants and it was easy to see when they were ready for harvest. They climbed a bit, so we staked them in season. Hulling was easier (though very time-consuming) as there are several kernels per pod.

Black beans and pods. Photo : Les Urbainculteurs

Soybeans

The soybeans were very productive, but in the end we decided to harvest them fresh. This allowed us to have an earlier harvest, so we could enjoy them in season rather than during the winter months. When the pods became well dented, defined by the formed bean, we harvested them.

Lima Beans

I have to say that the lima beans were the ones I found a little disappointing. The plants have remained small and very few pods have formed. At the time of writing, very few beans have dried on the plants. The harvest is therefore very meagre unfortunately.

Uneven maturity of lima beans. Photo : Les Urbainculteurs
Dried lima beans. Photo : Les Urbainculteurs

The learning process

Some will tell me that all this took an enormous amount of time for little result. It’s true that the final quantity of dried beans produced versus the space and especially the time needed to shell them isn’t worth the effort, but the fact remains that we’ve had a lot of fun discovering all this. I don’t think a family could be self-sufficient for an entire winter with our small production, but is that any reason not to try it? To my surprise, no one had done this kind of test before. We became aware of the space needed to produce something substantial, and of the need to mechanize the process on a large scale. No kidding, I don’t look at my legumes the same way anymore!

Psst! If you’ve got any dried beans left over next year, you can sow them!

The delicate foliage of chickpeas. Photo: Les Urbainculteurs

Marie-Andrée is the urban farm manager and a trainer at Urbainculteurs, where she has been working since 2015. She plans and supervises the production of Jardins du bassin Louise, an urban vegetable farm with a social and educational vocation. Outstanding at teaching, she also co-hosts the podcast Mâche-patate and is one of the main trainers of the Urbainculteurs online training course. Les Urbainculteurs is a non-profit organization, based in Quebec since 2009. Their mission: to develop and promote a productive, accessible and responsible urban agriculture for the benefit of organizations and individuals, in order to increase food security, improve our living environments and promote an ecological transition.

77 comments on “Growing Dried Beans

  1. kart bros This is such a comprehensive and encouraging guide for anyone looking to add more self-sufficiency to their garden. I really appreciate how you broke down the timing and the drying process, as that is often the most intimidating part for beginners. It is so rewarding to see the variety of colors and flavors you can get from growing your own dried beans compared to what is available at the store. Thank you for sharing these practical tips and for making the idea of “growing your own pantry” feel so accessible!

  2. hanxue

    What a fun and educational gardening experiment! Your honest observations make me want to try growing dried beans myself.
    genzy

  3. hanxue

    It’s so helpful to read your real results with different bean varieties—especially the yield and harvest tips for beginners.gamexlab

  4. hanxue

    This post about growing dried beans and chickpeas is so fascinating! I love your experimental spirit and the detailed growing notes you shared.pixeltransform

  5. Omni AI Video Generator is great for quickly visualizing creative ideas before committing to a full production workflow

  6. genzyLa passion pour les semences et la rotation des cultures se ressent dans chaque ligne de ce texte.

  7. This thoughtful seasonal garden planning is full of passion and artistic inspiration.pixeltransform

  8. Shrimatka

    Excellent content! This post is discussing in an outstanding way. I like your way yo discussed your valid points and facts about this. madhur bazar

  9. I like the way you framed the “play first, understand later” behavior. I’ve seen the same pattern and ended up building this: Dialed GG Sound Game.

  10. Wan 2.7 — Wan 2.7 expands Wan 2.6 with production-focused controls: define first and last frames for precise motion planning, animate nine?panel image boards into sequences, lock visual and voice references for consistent performance, and apply natural?language edits and recreation workflows to produce repeatable variants quickly.

  11. Interesting take on growing dried beans. I noticed you didn’t mention other ways – have you found that to be an effective strategy? – Satta Matka

  12. Basketball Random is an exciting online sports game where players can participate in random basketball matches.

  13. This is such exciting news! I love how the Better Reading Top 100 is voted by Australians, making it a true reflection of what people enjoy reading. Can’t wait to see the full list and discover new books to add to my reading pile.numerologycalculators

  14. Explore powerful Roblox script execution using trusted executor insights, updated guides, and optimized solutions for Roblox enthusiasts.

  15. grok image works well for stylized and realistic AI images.

  16. Dried beans dance through chopchains, urban vines twirl—spring’s surprise encore in Louise’s lifted beds.

  17. veck io: Sow surprise beans—chickpeas dance in 12 extra pots, March magic!

  18. granny3 says: “Dried beans? Just poke ’em in soil, hum a lullaby, and let the greenhouse ghosts do the rest.”

  19. Unexpected containers? Chickpeas! My escape road from the plan. escaperoad

  20. Peter Mann

    Really helpful post! One thing I was curious about do you have any advice for wholesale polo shirts? Would love to hear your thoughts.

  21. That’s so cool you found dried beans and chickpeas in the office seeds! I love how simple it can be to start growing them. Makes me want to check my own stash for hidden treasures. pdf to video

  22. That’s so cool you found dried beans and chickpeas in the office seeds! I love how simple it can be to start growing them. Makes me want to check my own stash for hidden treasures.pdf to video

  23. taimur ansari

    SEO Services in Riyadh

    With the city’s growing reliance on digital platforms, optimizing your website for search engines is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. Effective on-page SEO strategies can significantly enhance your website’s visibility, driving more targeted traffic to your site and ultimately boosting conversions.

  24. Christine Barber

    Such a cute little idea, fab for keeping cosy in these cold winter months! rocket fortress

  25. Irene Jackman

    I just came across your blog and I’m genuinely impressed! Men Aviator Jacket

  26. clicker games unblocked turn incremental progress into addictive gameplay, keeping players motivated with constant upgrades and achievements.

  27. I really enjoyed reading about your dried bean experiment! It’s so cool to see how different varieties grow and the challenges you faced.

  28. Test your fandom knowledge with AO3dle – the addictive daily game where you predict which characters have more fanfiction on Archive of Our Own! Challenge yourself with 10 daily rounds or go infinite, compete with friends on global leaderboards, and discover fascinating trends in fanfiction culture. Perfect for casual fans and dedicated fandom enthusiasts alike. Play now and see how well you really know your favorite characters!

  29. Test your fandom knowledge with Rule34dle – the addictive daily game where you predict which characters have more Rule 34 content! Challenge yourself with 10 daily rounds or go infinite, compete with friends on global leaderboards, and discover fascinating trends in Rule 34 culture. Perfect for casual fans and dedicated enthusiasts alike. Play now and see how well you really know your favorite characters.

  30. Let’s get started! I’d love to hear an episode about how to use tools like the “Disco Cowboy Hat Buying Calculator” to plan a team T-shirt project—imagine how to buy fashionable accessories for the whole company.

  31. Take action! I’d love to hear an episode about how to use tools like an raise animals calculator to plan team animal husbandry projects—imagine how to optimize animal husbandry for your company.

  32. That’s awesome you found dried beans and chickpeas in the office seeds! I love the idea of growing them from scratch. It sounds like a fun and easy project to try at home.astrocarto

  33. Great post on growing dried beans! I love that you found chickpeas and other varieties in the office seeds. It’s inspiring to see how easy it can be to start with what’s available.Circle of Fifths

  34. Great post on growing dried beans! I love that you found different varieties and even chickpeas in the office seeds. It’s inspiring to see how easy it can be to start with what’s available.wplaceart

  35. I love the idea of growing dried beans from office seeds! Finding chickpeas and other varieties sounds like a fun and easy way to start a garden. Thanks for the inspiration!love-mbti

  36. This is a fun and relaxing management game site that’s been gaining attention recently. The interface is clean, the progression feels rewarding, and it’s perfect for unwinding during a short break. I recommend trying Raise Animals if you enjoy pet-raising or idle/tycoon-style games. It’s easy to learn, quick to play, and definitely worth bookmarking for daily fun.

  37. That’s awesome you found dried beans and chickpeas in the office seeds! I love how you turned a simple discovery into a gardening idea. It makes me want to try growing my own beans too.

  38. I tried Parkour Champions and it’s an adrenaline rush! The anime-inspired abilities make every run exciting and creative. Smooth controls, cool visuals, and fun mechanics. If you love parkour or anime action, this game is definitely worth checking out!

  39. Looking for a simple relationship-psychology test that actually feels useful? Check out Lovetype.org for a free 16-type love quiz, personalized tips, and compatibility insights—no spoilers, just practical guidance.

  40. Free AI Headshot Generator allows you to produce high-quality, studio-style headshots instantly, ideal for professional and personal use.

  41. A free skill tree planner for Path of Exile 2 that helps players design and optimize their character builds with ease, brought to you by sprunki.

  42. Johnred Roy

    Great write-up! Chickpeas sound rewarding, if a bit tedious to harvest. The vermicompost and summer fertilization seem to have worked wonders. Thinking about trying this next season. Maybe it’s as fun as playing Poptropica, but with actual food at the end!

  43. thanks for sharing

  44. Oh, growing dried beans is such a great idea! Finding those seeds, especially chickpeas – bingo indeed! It reminds me how satisfying it is when everything just *works*. Like when a complex Volume Shader runs smoothly, really showing off a GPU’s performance.

  45. This is such a cool idea! Growing your own chickpeas sounds incredibly rewarding. It reminds me of how satisfying it is when you get something to work just right. Like when you need to mkv to mp4 a video file so it plays perfectly on any device – super handy!

  46. Rule34dle play guess game rule 34dle

  47. Really interesting guide on growing dried beans! I love how gardening can connect with so many other hobbies. For example, I’ve seen people use 3D printing to create custom plant markers, supports, or even decorative pots for their bean plants. It’s amazing how technology like this can complement traditional gardening. If anyone is curious, I usually explore tools like orcaslicer v2.3.1 download to experiment with different 3D printing ideas that can be useful in the garden

  48. This website is all about those cookies and how they’re using my data for ads! It’s a little scary how much they track, but at least they’re upfront about it, I guess. Trying to create the perfect vibe coding atmosphere, huh? Makes you wonder!

  49. This was a fun read! I love how they just went for it with the extra containers. All the beans sound delicious, even if the lima beans were a bit of a letdown. The whole vibe coding atmosphere of trying something new in the garden is super inspiring.

  50. Thanks for the resources, clean explanation, love lima beans.

  51. Free Trivia

    Gardening is unpredictable, but that’s half the fun, right? Love your curious spirit! To keep the excitement going, maybe throw in some trivia fun with this Free Trivia.

  52. Describe Yourself

    Your planning process is inspiring! It’s like you’re prepping for a grand performance. If you need to showcase your efforts, a great self-description can help—check this Describe Yourself.

  53. Image Narration

    I love how you embraced the surprise! Testing out new beans is like a mini-adventure in your garden. Sharing your journey with dynamic visuals could be really cool—consider this Image Narration.

  54. newspaper template

    Planning at the Jardins du Bassin Louise sounds amazing! You’ve really got to get creative, like designing a dance. If you’re ever looking for ways to present your findings, check out this newspaper template.

  55. newspaper template

    Planning at the Jardins du Bassin Louise sounds amazing! You’ve really got to get creative, like designing a dance. If you’re ever looking for ways to present your findings, check out this newspaper template.

  56. Thank you for sharing this!

  57. I appreciate the author for such useful content.

  58. I love all the styles you share!

  59. Hello! I love all the styles you share!

  60. This is a cool experiment! I’m intrigued by the different beans. Never thought about growing chickpeas like that. Interesting about the fake stake, I’m curious what is a fake stake and its actual use now. I might try growing some beans myself next year. Read More

  61. Adelyn Cline Beauty Machine is a remarkable innovation in the beauty industry, exemplifying the brand’s commitment to quality and effectiveness. As the manufacturer, Adelyn Cline ensures that every feature of this machine is designed with precision and user-friendliness in mind. The advanced technology incorporated into the device provides exceptional results, making it a must-have for anyone serious about skincare. The machine’s sleek design and ease of use enhance the overall experience, allowing users to achieve professional results at home. Trust in Adelyn Cline’s expertise and elevate your beauty routine with this outstanding product.

  62. This is so cool! I never thought about growing dried beans in the city. The photos are great, especially the chickpeas! It would be awesome if an AI image caption generator could automatically describe all these plants. I might give it a try next year.

  63. As a healthcare professional, I have found the medical molding to be an invaluable tool in my practice. Its precision and adaptability allow for optimal patient comfort and support during various procedures. The molding material is durable yet pliable, ensuring a perfect fit for different anatomical shapes. Furthermore, the easy-to-use application process significantly enhances workflow efficiency, saving both time and resources. I highly recommend this product for anyone in the medical field seeking reliable and effective solutions for patient care and support.

  64. Wow, that’s a lot of vendors tracking data! Makes you wonder what they’re all doing with it. I hope all this leads to better content, especially those AI Cute Baby Short Videos I’ve been seeing everywhere!

  65. Thank you for sharing this thought-provoking piece! Your perspective is refreshingly unique, and you’ve managed to present complex ideas in an accessible way without oversimplifying. I particularly appreciated the examples you used to illustrate your points – they really helped solidify the concepts. This article has genuinely shifted my understanding of the topic and given me much to reflect on. Looking forward to reading more of your insightful work in the future

  66. Planning a garden is no small feat—it’s a dance of dreams and details. From seed catalogs to choreographed rotations, every step shapes the season. Dried beans? A humble yet rewarding choice. Let’s grow more than just plants; let’s grow patience and purpose.

  67. you are the best

  68. thanks for this blog

  69. it is great.

  70. Marker Lady

    In crossy road, the player’s main task is to avoid collisions with fast-moving vehicles on the road, from cars, trucks to trains, while trying to move forward without being blocked.

  71. A free skill tree planner for Path of Exile 2, allowing players to create and optimize character builds.

  72. Marker Lady

    The crossy road game presents unexpected challenges, keeping players engaged and eager to improve their scores.

  73. Playing Sprunki Incredibox can be a great way to relax, as the soothing beats and rhythm encourage players to focus and enjoy the moment.

Leave a Reply