How to grow yardlong beans for high yields? A detailed guide to growing methods

SummarySelect varieties: The widely grown variety is Zhi Jiang 28-2 yardlong bean. Sowing method: Sow when the temperature is stable at 4°C around the time of the last frost, sow 2-4 seeds per hole, with a sowing rate of 2-3kg. Field management: After the main vine climbs to the top of the trellis, the tip of the main vine needs to be pinched off in time, which is beneficial for the growth of side vines. Pest and disease control: You can use 25% dimehypo aqueous solution at 500 times dilution, mixed with 60kg of water, spraying once every 7-10 days from bud emergence to early flowering, for 2-3 consecutive sprays.

I. Selecting varieties

Choose high-quality, plump varieties. First, you can try soaking a few seeds to sprout them, then observe the germination rate before sowing. There are many kinds of yardlong beans; some people like small, flat seeds, some like types suitable for pickling as sour yardlong beans, but in fact more people like white-green yardlong beans because of their thick flesh and plump seeds. The generally widely grown variety is Zhi Jiang 28-2 yardlong bean, suitable for spring planting with plastic film mulch.

II. Sowing method

The suitable lower limit temperature for sowing yardlong beans is 14°C. Generally, sowing is done when the temperature is stable at 4°C around the time of the last frost. The sowing method for yardlong beans is the same as for common beans. You can use the method of sowing in low holes on high ridges and then covering with plastic film. The suitable row spacing is 65cm, hole spacing is 18-25cm, sowing 4000-5000 holes per mu, 2-4 seeds per hole, with a sowing rate of 2-3kg.

III. Field management

In the later stage, you need to remove the side buds below the first inflorescence, as well as the flower buds and leaf buds above the inflorescence, and also the leaf buds in mixed buds. Then, after the middle and upper side branches show flower buds, pinch off their tips. Note that after the main vine climbs to the top of the trellis, the tip of the main vine needs to be pinched off in time, which is beneficial for the growth of side vines. After side vines show flower buds, their tips should likewise be pinched off.

IV. Pest and disease control

1. Yardlong beans are affected by relatively many pests and diseases. Generally, you can carry out the first whole-plant insecticide spray before flowering, and when the yardlong beans have grown out, carry out another whole-plant insecticide spray. In this way, when the yardlong beans grow again, there will not be so many pest problems, and there is no need to worry about pesticide residue issues.

2. The main pests that easily occur are the bean pod borer and the yardlong bean pod borer. You can also use 25% dimehypo aqueous solution at 500 times dilution, mixed with 60kg of water, spraying once every 7-10 days from bud emergence to early flowering, for 2-3 consecutive sprays. In the middle and late stages of yardlong bean growth, you can also spread a layer of lime powder on the ground surface, and then also sprinkle a layer of lime powder onto the seedling trellis, which is beneficial for pest prevention.

V. Timely harvesting

1. After the pods have grown to sufficient length, they need to be harvested in time. If harvesting is delayed, the seeds will swell, which easily reduces commercial quality and also affects the later growth of pods. When harvesting, be careful not to damage other inflorescences, flower buds, vines, or leaves. The tender pods and seeds of yardlong beans are very delicious and can be eaten in many ways, such as stir-fried, stewed, boiled, mixed as a salad, or used as filling.

2. The tender pods can be stir-fried or served as a cold dish. They can also be used for processing into quick-frozen, dried, pickled, and fresh-keeping vegetables, or processed into canned goods, etc. They are an excellent raw material for processing and export to earn foreign exchange. There are many varieties of yardlong beans generally eaten. According to differences in pod skin color, they are mainly divided into green-podded yardlong beans, flower-podded yardlong beans, white-podded yardlong beans, red-podded yardlong beans, etc. Moreover, the dried seeds of yardlong beans can also be used to cook rice, cook porridge, make flour, and make sauce.