What is the best time to plant hyacinth beans?

Hyacinth beans originated in southwestern Asia and the eastern Mediterranean region. They are suited to cool climates and are mostly grown in temperate and subtropical regions. In tropical regions they are often cultivated in the coldest season or at high altitudes. In China they are mainly produced in Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Yunnan, Sichuan and other places. Let us take a look together at the planting time for hyacinth beans!

Growth habits of hyacinth beans

The suitable germination temperature for hyacinth bean seeds is 22-23°C. The plants can tolerate high temperatures of around 35°C. They have a well-developed, powerful root system and strong drought tolerance, and adapt well to various soils. Planting in well-drained, fertile sandy soil or loam can significantly increase yield.

Planting time for hyacinth beans

Hyacinth beans are generally grown in open fields with trellises in summer. Usually sowing can begin 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 sowing from May to the end of July, while in North China the planting time for hyacinth beans is mostly sowing in June.

Cultivation techniques for hyacinth beans

1. Cultivation with artificial trellises: Hyacinth beans are generally sown directly. Land preparation and fertilization are the same as for common beans (pole beans). The bed width is 133 cm, the height is 10-15 cm, and the ditch width is 50 cm. Two rows are planted per bed, with a row spacing of 70-80 cm and a plant spacing of 50 cm. For open-field cultivation, sow directly in early to mid-April, sowing 3-4 seeds per hole, covering with 3-4 seeds, and about 3.5-4 kg of seed is needed per mu. After emergence, thin the seedlings so that each hole has 2 plants. After thinning, apply 500 kg of human manure per mu as a top dressing. When the vines are 35 cm long, set up A-shaped trellises and train the vines onto them. During the fruiting period, apply top dressing twice, each time with 500 kg of human feces and urine. Cultivation and weeding are the same as for common beans.

2. Cultivation without trellises: Early-maturing varieties of hyacinth beans are cultivated without trellises. First prepare the land and apply base fertilizer, make beds, and raise seedlings in cold frames with plastic tunnels. The seedling stage is 30 days. Transplant in mid to late April, with row and plant spacing of 40 cm each, planting 4 seedlings per hole. When the plants are 50 cm tall, pinch off the tips leaving 40 cm to encourage side branches. When secondary side branches grow from the leaf axils of the side branches, pinch again, continuously 4 times. After harvesting, if tender branches grow, pinching can continue, making the plants grow in a bushy form. The harvest period is in early July, with a yield of 800-1000 kg per mu.