Climbing French Bean (Yard Long Asparagus) Seeds

The plant bears long, slender, and round pods that can grow up to 45cm in length. The flowers can be lavender, pink, or white depending on the variety​

Yard long beans have a pronounced and intense bean flavour which intensifies with cooking. They are sweet and mild, often compared to a combination of asparagus, mushrooms, and beans. They hold up well in stir-fries, but can also be stewed, braised, sautéed, shallow-fried, or deep-fried. The beans work best when briefly steamed, stir-fried, or braised but also hold up well in stews​.

The seeds emerge in 10 to 14 days post-sowing, and after an approximately 80-day growing season, the beans can be harvested. These beans are known for their rapid growth, growing 1-2 inches per day until they mature into pods. Harvesting usually commences a little over two months post-planting, and the beans are ready to pick when they are about as thick as a pencil and around 18 inches long​.

It's a climbing bean plant with vines that require support for upward growth, such as a trellis or fence. The plant initially appears to grow as a bush, but transitions to vertical growth with twisting vines as summer heat intensifies​​.

They thrive best in warm climates and need full sun. The soil temperature should be at least 65°F for germination, with optimal growth observed in the 70-80°F range. They can be fairly drought-tolerant, they prefer a consistent watering schedule​.

Yard long beans are great at pulling nitrogen from the air and adding fertility back to the ground, which makes them reliable for improving soil quality. They are fairly drought-tolerant but prefer consistent watering to avoid tough and shorter beans​.

Planting should be done in spring after the last frost, with direct sowing into the soil as they don’t handle transplanting well. A well-draining, loamy soil with a pH range of 5.5-7.5 is ideal. They require a support structure for climbing, and although fertilisation is generally unnecessary, if used, a fertiliser focusing more on phosphorus and potassium rather than nitrogen is recommended​.