When to Plant Hyacinth Beans? A Detailed Guide to Seed Prices and Growing Methods

The hyacinth bean is a vegetable relatively high in protein and carotene, easy to cultivate, and plays a certain role in regulating the supply of vegetables during the slack summer and autumn season. So when are hyacinth beans planted? Hyacinth bean seed prices and growing methods what are they ?

1. What is the price of hyacinth bean seeds?

The price of hyacinth bean seeds is about 150 to 200 yuan per jin, but prices vary greatly depending on the variety, quality, place of origin and purchase quantity. Generally about 3 jin of seed is used per mu.

2. When are hyacinth beans planted?

Hyacinth beans can generally be sown successively after mid-January, but the sowing time differs by region. For example, in the Yangtze River basin the planting time for hyacinth beans is from May to the end of July, while in North China the planting time for hyacinth beans is mostly in June.

3. What are the growing methods for hyacinth beans?

1. Select excellent varieties

Select good varieties according to cultivation conditions. Existing hyacinth beans are divided by pod color into three types: white hyacinth bean, green hyacinth bean and purple hyacinth bean. The varieties cultivated in China mainly include:

① Purple-edged hyacinth bean. Also known as pig's ear hyacinth bean, vining. Leaves dark green, veins and petioles purple, pods broad and flat, green and thick, with the suture edge dark purple, pod flesh crisp and tender, each pod contains 5 to 6 seeds, mature seeds black, mealy after cooking, good quality, high yield, mid-to-late maturing, strong heat tolerance, weak cold tolerance, likes water and fertilizer, vigorous growth.

② White hyacinth bean. Vining, many branches, strong growth. The whole plant is green. Flowers white, pods slightly narrow, long, flat and thin, light green, pod flesh relatively thin and tender, seeds white, good flavor. Spring-sown full growth period 160 to 170 days. Extremely drought tolerant.

③ Black-seeded white hyacinth bean. Vining, strong growth, stems light green with purple at the nodes, leaves dark green, flowers purple-red, high pod set, pods light green, narrow and long, each pod contains 5 to 6 seeds, seeds black. Drought tolerant, barren tolerant, heat tolerant, cold tolerant, long harvest period.

④ Purple hyacinth bean. Vining, strong branching, stems dark purple, leaves green, veins and petioles dark purple-red, inflorescences long, many pods, pods narrow and long with thick flesh, purple-red, containing 3 to 5 seeds, soft and mealy after cooking. Late maturing, heat tolerant, cold tolerant, drought tolerant, long harvest period, high yield.

2. Field management

① Water and fertilizer management: less water is needed at the seedling stage, and more water is needed after the vines elongate and during the pod-setting stage. Generally, water 1 to 2 times during the vine elongation stage, and during the flower and pod stage water about once every 10 days when there is no rain. After watering, carry out intertillage and weeding, combined with topdressing, to prevent flower and pod drop and excessive vegetative growth. Intertillage should be shallow to prevent root damage. Before pod setting, apply organic fertilizers such as decomposed chicken manure. After pod setting, apply a small amount of chemical fertilizer as topdressing.

② Trellising and vine guiding, pruning: set up trellises before the vines are drawn, or after the vines are drawn use ropes promptly to guide the vines onto trees or onto the house. Pinch the main vine when it has 5 to 6 compound leaves to encourage more side vines, and pinch again when the side vines have 3 to 4 leaves, which can advance flowering and pod setting, but the yield is lower. Generally, if using a fence trellis or A-frame trellis for cultivation, pinch the vine when it grows to the top of the trellis, which can promote early pod maturity.

③ Pest and disease control: hyacinth beans have relatively few diseases; the main pests are aphids and red spider mites, which can be controlled early by spraying low-toxicity pesticides.

3. Pest and disease control

① Control of hyacinth bean rust and brown spot: use 100 g of 70% thiophanate-methyl or 20 g of 37% difenoconazole per mu, diluted in 60 kg of water, and spray for control.

② Control of hyacinth bean noctuid, small gray butterfly and tobacco budworm: use 15 to 30 g of 3.3% abamectin · beta-cypermethrin or 40 to 60 ml of 30% emamectin benzoate · chlorpyrifos per mu, diluted in 60 kg of water, and spray for control.

4. Harvest

Hyacinth beans have a long growth period (160 to 300 days), flowering and setting pods 60 to 65 days after emergence, and tender pods can then be harvested successively. Harvesting can continue for 90 to 120 days. Generally, 15000 to 18750 kg of tender pods are produced per hectare. Fresh tender pods and tender beans have a relatively short shelf life. If stored at a relative humidity of 85% to 90% and 0 to 2 degrees Celsius, fresh pods can be kept for 21 days, and tender beans in pods for about 7 days. For harvesting mature seeds, long-vine varieties take 150 to 210 days, and early-maturing short-vine varieties 60 to 75 days. When mature pods turn dry and yellow, harvest and dry them in the sun, then thresh, winnow clean and store.

Overall, the hyacinth bean is a relatively easy vegetable to grow. In terms of care, mainly doing a good job of pest and disease control still ensures the yield.