I am trying these for the first time this year and have a little patch well sprouted. My question is which variety is best. There are several available and I am wondering if anyone has experience with this bean.
Since they are suppose to be seeded about every 2 weeks for a continuous supply I thought I would try some different kinds. I will need to order them online since they don't seem to be common in my local stores. Any suggestion as to where to order them?
Any particular growing tips?
Thanks.
Helen
edamame
Helen, I grow "Green Pearls" which I purchase from Burpee. They are very easy to grow. I sow mine on May 9th, if they are sown too early, the seeds rot in the cold ground.
I cook mine in the shells, and then shuck them when they are cold. I find the flavor is better doing it that way.
Most soy beans arent avail til closer to June as they are also sensitive to the length of the day, like okra loving the heat..
I got two varieties at Fedco.com: http://www.fedcoseeds.com/seeds.htm
Soy Bean Beer Friend
Soy Bean Sayamusume
I am planting them for the first time this year as well but in our climate zone it looks like I have to wait until the end of May or beginning of June when the soils are nice and warm.
Honeybee, do you cook them in salt water? I love them in Asian restaurants where you suck on the pod and extract the cooked bean inside.
Anyone else have a good recipe for preparing them as an appetizer?
Im growing them for the first time this year also. My plants are blooming now. I got the seed from Johnny's Selected Seed. They have a good rating here on the Garden Watchdog. The variety is "Butterbean". The description said they were a variety grown for table use, versus commercial growing. They mature in 90 days. I put mine out too early and had to replant but I think the birds ate mine the first time. I have some in pots and some in raised bed. I put them in salads and stir fries or just eat them like berries or peanuts.
gardadore - No, I don't cook edamame in salt water. I use very little salt in my diet. I have grown "Beer Friend" soybean too, but it did not produce as many pods as "Green Pearls"
Thanks, Honeybee for the info. I got the Beer Friend from Fedco and they only offer a few varieties. Glad to get input on other varieties that have been successful. I will check out the "Green Pearls" as well for next year.
This message was edited May 10, 2011 2:10 PM
I sowed 35 feet of Green Pearl seeds this morning.
Honey,
I am exhausted just thinking about 35 feet of anything! lol
I have had troube with rabbits eating my bean (edamame and butter) sprouts. Any suggestions??
Helen
helenchild - you might try poultry netting around your veggies. In the past, I've purchased some from Lowe's that was 2 feet high. It cost around $25 for 50ft.