Beans: Black Turtle (Heirloom) (Phaseolus vulgaris)
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General Information
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Soil Preparation & Start Indoors
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Transplant Outdoors & Start Indoors
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Crop Care
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Harvesting & Storage
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Seed Saving
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Culinary & Medicinal
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Companion Planting
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Nutrition & Health Benefits
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Other Uses
Also Known As: Black Turtle Soup beans
Native Range: Central and South America
Ease of Growing: Moderate
Grown as: Annual
Maturity: 90 days
Growing Habit: Bush
Hardiness: Tender. Beans are temperature sensitive and shouldn't be planted until the soil has reached at least 65˚ F.
Crops: Spring Transplant, Spring, Summer
Growing Season: Long
Growing Conditions: Warm, Hot. To grow dry beans you plant them all at once, as soon as the soil is warm enough. They need a longer period of warm weather to produce dry beans. They are not at all hardy and any frost will kill them. Beans like a warm sunny spot.
Outdoor Growing Temp: 60°F - 80°F
Min Outdoor Soil Temp: 60°F.
Start Indoors: Yes
Start Outdoors: Yes
Light: Full Sun. Min. 6 hours daily (Cool, Warm, Hot).
Water: Medium. Water lightly at planting, medium at flowering, and heavily throughout harvest time. Avoid overhead watering which can promote disease.
Soil Moisture: Beans should have evenly moist soil at all times.
Feeder: Moderate. Low nitrogen. Moderate potassium. Moderate phosphorous. Beans don't need a lot of nitrogen in the soil because they fix their own. In fact, if there is a lot in the soil they won't go to the trouble of fixing it. They do need plenty of potassium and phosphorus though. They are sometimes planted after a crop that was heavily amended, or after a winter cover crop.
Small Gardens?: Yes
Containers?: No
Attracts beneficial insects?: Yes. It's flowers attracts bees and butterflies.
Maintenance: Medium
Height: 12-24"
Spacing: 3-6"
Sowing Depth: 1"
USDA Grow Zone: 5-13
Produces: black beans grow in yellow pods 5-6" long.
Garden Uses: Annual for vegetable gardens.
Soil Preparation
Soil pH: 6.0-7.5, Ideal 6.7-7.0. Beans like a light, well-drained loamy soil, with lots of organic matter.
Soil Preparation:
Compost (Nitrogen), 2", in top 8" of soil, 1 time: Incorporate 2" of compost into the top 6˝ to 8˝ of soil, where most of the plants feeder roots are located.
Standard Mix, 5 pounds per 100 sq. ft., in top 8" of soil, 1 time.
- 4 parts cottonseed meal (this is high in nitrogen and relatively inexpensive)
- 2 parts colloidal phosphate or bone meal (for phosphorus)
- 2 parts wood ash or 3 parts greensand or granite dust (for potassium)
- 1 part dolomitic limestone (to balance pH and add calcium and magnesium)
- 1 part kelp meal (for trace elements)
Mix these together thoroughly. You can do this all at once, or you can store them separately and mix as needed.
Start Indoors
Soil temp for germination: 60°F to 85°F, optimal 75°F to 80°F, optimal 77°F
Total weeks to grow transplant: 8 to 9 (Spring/Summer), (Fall/Winter)
Germinate: 1 week before last frost date. Beans are rarely grown from transplants, as they dislike transplanting. The large seeds germinate easily and grow so fast in warm soil that direct sown plants often catch up to transplanted ones anyway. If you really feel you must start them inside to avoid hungry early birds—or to try to get a very early crop—be aware that they need gentle treatment when transplanting. If the germination percentage of the seed is high, sow one seed in each soil block or cell pack. If germination is poor, plant two seeds and thin to the best one after they have both germinated. Don’t forget to inoculate them.
Transplant Outdoors
Warm, Hot: Beans like a warm sunny spot. They are not at all hardy and any frost will kill them. These tall plants are vulnerable to being blown over, so should be sheltered from high winds and supported on a stable and secure structure.
When outdoor temp: 60°F to 80°F, optimal temp 60°F to 70°F
When min soil temp: 60°F. Don’t plant Pole Beans out until all frost danger is past and the soil is warm (at least 6o˚ F and ideally 80˚ F). If beans are planted in cold soil, they may rot. You can warm the soil beforehand with cloches or plastic mulch, or start them indoors if you must have an early crop.
Start Outdoors
When outdoor temp: 60°F to 80°F, optimal temp 60°F to 70°F
When min soil temp: 60°F. Don’t plant Pole Beans out until all frost danger is past and the soil is warm (at least 6o˚ F and ideally 80˚ F). If beans are planted in cold soil, they may rot. You can warm the soil beforehand with cloches or plastic mulch, or start them indoors if you must have an early crop.
Seed Depth: 1-3". The depth they are planted varies according to the soil temperature. They should be planted 1" deep in cold soil and 2" (or even 3") deep in warm soil. The deeper planting ensures they get enough moisture.
Spacing: 6.-12", 4 plants per sq ft. Space bush types 6 to 12" apart in beds.
Thinning: Sow roughly twice as many seeds as you need plants and thin to the approximate spacing, after they have all emerged. To thin, pinch out the extra plants, as this doesn't disturb those remaining. Always try to remove the inferior plants and leave the best.
Spring Crop:
2-4 weeks after last frost date: Put your first beans in the ground 2-4 weeks after the last frost date. Make sure the soil is warm enough. The seeds will rot if it's too cold. Some people like to soak their beans overnight prior to planting. Start planting by placing the seeds on top of the prepared seedbed at the correct spacing. When you are satisfied they are all correctly spaced, simply push them down into the soil with your finger and close up the hole. One way to improve and hasten emergence in cold soil is to pre-sprout the seeds indoors. This can be done in optimally warm conditions and could save you 10 days or more. You then plant out the already germinated seeds, being extremely careful not to damage the tender roots.
1. Sow roughly twice as many seeds as you need plants.
2. Thin to the approximate spacing, after they have all emerged. The best way to remove the extra plants is by pinching them out, as this doesn’t disturb those remaining. Always remove the inferior plants and leave the best ones.
If you plan on using a bean teepee for support, then plant 6 seeds around each pole. When these have germinated, thin to leave the best 3 plants at each pole. If you are sowing in long rows down the bed, space them 2-3 inches apart (to be thinned later to leave one plant every 4-6 inches). You could also sow 2 seeds every 4-6 inches (and remove the weakest later).
Inoculation:
Bean plants don’t fix nitrogen. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria that grow in nodules on their roots fix nitrogen. If the right strain of bacteria isn’t present in the soil in sufficient quantity, no nitrogen will be fixed and the bean plants will take it out of the soil just like any other plant. If you have grown beans in the past 3 to 5 years, there are probably enough bacteria already in the soil for good nitrogen fixation and you don’t need to inoculate. If you haven’t grown them recently, you should inoculate the seeds with the appropriate bacteria. This can boost pod yields by as much as 60%.
Summer Crop:
4-12 weeks after last frost date: Some people like to soak their beans overnight prior to planting. Start planting by placing the seeds on top of the prepared seedbed at the correct spacing. When you are satisfied they are all correctly spaced, simply push them down into the soil with your finger and close up the hole. One way to improve and hasten emergence in cold soil is to pre-sprout the seeds indoors. This can be done in optimally warm conditions and could save you 10 days or more. You then plant out the already germinated seeds, being extremely careful not to damage the tender roots.
1. Sow roughly twice as many seeds as you need plants
2. Thin to the approximate spacing, after they have all emerged. The best way to remove the extra plants is by pinching them out, as this doesn’t disturb those remaining. Always remove the inferior plants and leave the best ones.
If you plan on using a bean teepee for support, then plant 6 seeds around each pole. When these have germinated, thin to leave the best 3 plants at each pole. If you are sowing in long rows down the bed, space them 2-3 inches apart (to be thinned later to leave one plant every 4-6 inches). You could also sow 2 seeds every 4-6 inches (and remove the weakest later).
Water Needs: Water, 0.5", regularly, 2 times a week. Keep the soil evenly moist, but don’t over-water. Try and avoid wetting the leaves when watering, as mildew and fungus diseases can be spread in this way. Using drip or a soaker hose is the best way to do this. The most critical need for water is when they are flowering and sizing up their pods. A lack of water in hot weather can reduce the number of pods, so make sure they are well watered at this time. Watering also depends on your local weather; don't water if it's raining, or water more frequently if it's dry. Just be sure to keep soil moist for the best crop. The best way to know how much moisture is in your soil is to feel 2" below the soil line. If it's dry, water.
Fertilizer Needs: Moderate. Low nitrogen. Moderate potassium. Moderate phosphorous. Beans don't need a lot of nitrogen in the soil because they fix their own. In fact, if there is a lot in the soil they won't go to the trouble of fixing it. They do need plenty of potassium and phosphorus though. They are sometimes planted after a crop that was heavily amended, or after a winter cover crop.
Weeding, regularly: regularly, every 2 weeks. The young plants can’t compete very well, so it’s important to keep down weeds initially (a mulch helps a lot). The earlier you weed, the easier it will be. Weeds are quite shallow rooted so it's best to pull weeds by hand, rather than using a hoe. Once the plants get going they can out compete any weeds. Weed regularly to keep on top of the task—ideally every 10 to 14 days. Get into the habit of weeding for a few minutes whenever you are in the garden. Remove the biggest weeds first, as these are closest to setting seed.
Side Dressing, when 6" tall: Mulch, 2", when 6" tall, 1 time. Mulch is commonly placed between the widely spaced rows of pole beans, but it is still an optional task in the garden. It's still useful because it conserves moisture and keeps down weeds (which is important while the plants are small). Don’t apply it until the soil is warm though, otherwise it may insulate the soil and keep it cool. Bush beans are not usually mulched, as mulching tends to keep the soil cool. They eventually form a living mulch, which keeps down weeds very effectively.
Side Dressing, before flowering: Compost tea, 5 gallons per 100 sq. ft., before flowering, 1 time a month. If your soil isn't very fertile, the pole beans may benefit from a feed of compost tea or liquid kelp every 3 to 4 weeks, particularly when they start to flower. Bush beans don’t usually need feeding since they aren’t in the ground for very long.
Support: No. Bush beans do not need any support structures.
Harvesting
Watch for the pods to shrivel and dry on the vine.
A completely dry bean should shatter when crushed. If you can make a mark with your fingernail they aren't dry enough.
When and How:
Seed Pods, 1-14 days after maturity: These are gathered after the pods have shriveled and dried on the vines (you can sometimes hear the seeds rattle). If you have only a small quantity they can be gathered by individual pods, but for larger harvests pick the whole plants and lay them on a tarp to dry. Carefully thresh out the seeds to free them from the pods and then dry thoroughly.
Storage
Storage Req: Canning, Drying, Freezer
Storage Temp: °F
Storage Length: days
Green beans may be stored in plastic bags in the fridge for a few days. This is usually done until you have harvested enough for a meal.
Storage Req: Refrigerator
Storage Temp: 32-35°F
Storage Length: 1-7 days
Dry Beans are one of the best keeping food items. Store in a plastic bag, can, or container in a food pantry or cabinet.
Storage Req: Dry
Storage Temp: 60-70°F
Storage Length: 1-360 days
Be aware that some viruses may be transmitted through the seed. Try not to gather from diseased plants.
Seed Viability in Years: 3-5 Years
Germination Percentage: 75%
Culinary
Creamy texture rich flavor, ideal for soups or served with rice. Seeds have a very delicate skin, and when cooked, make a creamy soup.
Culinary Use:
Dry beans must be pre-soaked for hours before cooking, so planning is required. These beans can be used in soups, stews, salads, dips, curries, side dishes or even serviced as the main coarse. Beans compliment just about any dish so the possibilities are endless.
Immature seedpods: raw or cooked. The green pods are commonly used as a vegetable, they have a mild flavor and should only be cooked for a short time. When growing the plant for its seedpods, be sure to pick them whilst they are still small and tender. This will ensure the continued production of more pods by the plant. Flowering is reduced once the seeds begin to form inside the pods. The immature seeds are boiled or steamed and used as a vegetable.
Mature Seeds: The mature seeds are dried and stored for future use. They must be thoroughly cooked before being eaten and are best soaked in water for about 12 hours prior to this. They can be boiled, baked, pureed, ground into a powder or fermented into "tempeh" etc. The powdered seed makes a protein-enriching additive to flour, it can also be used in soups etc. The seed can also be sprouted and used in salads or cooked. The roasted seeds have been used as a coffee substitute.
Young leaves: raw or cooked as a potherb. The very young laves are sometimes eaten as a salad, the older leaves are cooked.
Medicinal
Companion Planting
Enemies: Keep beans away from the alliums.
Growing tip: Do not allow beans to mature on the plant, or it will stop producing, and do not pick beans or cultivate when they are wet, or it will spread viral diseases.
Problems
Mexican Bean Beetles
To attract Spined Soldier Bugs to your garden try growing: Alfalfa, Apples, Asparagus, Beans, Celery, Cotton, Crucifers, Cucurbits, Eggplant, Onions, Potatoes, Soybeans, Sweet Corn and Tomatoes.
Tachinid Flies: Preys on Gypsy Moths, Japanese beetles, Cutworms, and Squash Bugs.
To attract Tachinid Flies to your garden try growing: Carrots, Dill, Coriander, Lacy Phacelia, and Buckwheat.
Braconid Wasps: Prey on Tobacco Hornworm, Tomato Hornworm, Caterpillars, Aphids, and Mexican Bean Beetles.
To attract Braconid Wasps to your garden try growing: Fern-leaf Yarrow, Common Yarrow, Dill, Lemon Balm, and Parsley.
Japanese Beetles
To attract Tachinid Flies to your garden try growing: Carrots, Dill, Coriander, Lacy Phacelia, and Buckwheat.
Spiders: Prey on a wide range including Bed Bugs, Aphids, Roaches, Grasshoppers, Cabbage Looper, and Fruit Flies.
To attract Spiders to your garden you will need to grow: tall plants for weaving Spiders, mulch for predatory Spiders.
Praying Mantis: Prey on a wide range including Caterpillars, Moths, Beetles, and Crickets.
To attract Praying Mantis to your garden try growing: tall Grasses and Shrubs, Cosmos, Marigolds, and Dills.
Spined Soldier Bugs: Prey on larvae of Mexican Bean Beetle, European Corn Borer, Diamondback Moth, Corn Earworm, Beet Armyworm, Fall Armyworm, Cabbage Looper, Imported Cabbageworm, Colorado Potato Beetle, Velvetbean Caterpillar, and Flea Beetles.
To attract Spined Soldier Bugs to your garden try growing: Alfalfa, Apples, Asparagus, Beans, Celery, Cotton, Crucifers, Cucurbits, Eggplant, Onions, Potatoes, Soybeans, Sweet Corn and Tomatoes.
Aphids
Hornets, Paper Wasps, and Yellow Jackets all prey on aphids.
To attract Ladybugs to your garden you will need to grow: Angelica, Calendula, Caraway, Chives, Cilantro, Cosmos,
Dill, Fennel, Feverfew, Marigold, Statice, Sweet Alyssum, and Yarrow. You may also want to grow decoy crops to keep your ladybugs supplied with aphids to eat such as Early cabbage, Marigold, Nasturtium, and Radish. Without a food source, your ladybugs will be forced to leave which will leave your crops vulnerable.
Soft-winged Flower Beetle or Collops Beetle: Collops beetles are commonly found on Alfalfa and Cotton plants in agricultural fields, landscapes and gardens. The adult eats aphids and the larvae are active predators in the soil. Two abundant species in Utah are the two-spotted melyrid and the soft-winged flower beetle. Collops beetles are not commercially available.
Soldier Beetles: The adult stage of the soldier beetle eats aphids. The larvae live in the soil and help to control soil-borne pests. There are beetles that look similar to soldier beetles such as blister beetles and click beetles, so use care when identifying them. Soldier beetles are not commercially available.
Since Soldiers Beetles lay their eggs in the soil, all you have to do to is grow good nectar or pollen producing plants like Asclepias (milkweed), Solidago (goldenrod), and, while it’s not well understood, they seem particularly attracted to hydrangeas. Soldier Beetles can be found on flowers where they lie and wait for prey. They also feed on nectar and pollen but do not damage the plants.
Long-legged Flies: There are many species of long-legged flies (Dolichopodidae), the adults of which are predators of soft-bodied pests such as thrips, aphids, spider mites, flea hoppers, booklice, flies, silverfish, small caterpillars, and a variety of other small insects. They also eat nectar from flowers. The adult is recognized by the long legs and tapered abdomen but also by the metalic green or blue color. Larvae of long-legged flies are maggot-like in appearance and develop in wet or dry soil, rotting vegetation, or under bark. They are not commercially available.
Syrphid, Flower, or Hover Flies: Syrphid flies are about the size of house flies and hover in flight. The adults, which sometimes resemble bees, are not predaceous, but the larvae are aphid predators. The larvae vary in color from green to brown, some with a stripe or two down the back. The body tapers to the mouthparts. Syrphid flies are not commercially available.
To attract Hover Flies to your garden try growing: Fern-leaf yarrow (Achillea filipendulina), Common yarrow
(Achillea millefolium), Carpet bugleweed (Ajuga reptans), Lavender globe lily (Allium tanguticum), Basket of Gold (Alyssum saxatilis), Dill (Anethum graveolens), Golden Marguerite (Anthemis tinctoria), Dwarf alpine aster (Aster alpinus), Masterwort (Astrantia major), \Four-wing saltbush (Atriplex canescens), Purple poppy mallow (Callirhoe involucrata), Caraway (Carum carvi), Feverfew (Chrysanthemum parthenium), Coriander (Coriandrum sativum),
Cosmos white sensation (Cosmos bipinnatus), Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota), Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum CA), Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Poached egg plant (Limnanthes douglasii), Statice (Limonium latifolium), Butter and eggs (Linaria vulgaris), Edging lobelia (Lobelia erinus), Sweet alyssum white (Lobularia maritima), Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis), Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium), Spearmint (Mentha spicata), Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), Rocky Mountain penstemon (Penstemon strictus), Parsley (Petroselinum crispum), Sulfur cinquefoil (Potentilla recta ‘warrenii’), Alpine cinquefoil (Potentilla villosa), Gloriosa daisy (Rudbeckia fulgida), Orange stonecrop (Sedum kamtschaticum), Stonecrops (Sedum spurium), Peter Pan goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea), Wood betony (Stachys officinalis), Marigold “lemon gem” (Tagetes tenuifolia), Crimson thyme (Thymus serpylum coccineus), Spike speedwell (Veronica spicata), Zinnia "liliput" (Zinnia elegans).
Predaceous Midges: The larvae of these flies are very small (~1/10 inch long), but are generalist predators of mites, aphids and other soft-bodied insects. The larvae are yellow to orange in color. The adults are not predatory. Predaceous midges are commercially available.
Damsel Bugs: These true bugs are very common and abundant in farms, gardens and landscapes. They are generalist predators and both the adults and nymphs eat aphids, caterpillar eggs, small larvae, fleahoppers, lygus bugs, leafhoppers, treehoppers, spider mites, and other soft-bodied insects, especially on shorter growing plants. They are common in agricultural habitats, such as soybean, corn, and alfalfa. Damsel bugs are greyish brown in color and have grasping front legs. They are not commercially available.
To attract Damsel Bugs to your garden you will need to grow: Caraway (Carum carvi), Cosmos “white sensation” (Cosmos bipinnatus), Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Spearmint (Mentha spicata), Peter Pan Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea), and Marigold “lemon gem” (Tagetes tenuifolia).
Big-eyed Bugs: Big-eyed bugs are small (~3/16 inch long), fast moving true bugs. They are generalist predators and are most commonly seen on the ground or in shorter growing plants. They prey on aphids, small caterpillars and caterpillar eggs, fleahoppers, lygus bugs, mites, thrips, whiteflies. They are distinguished by their very large eyes which are as broad as the width of their body. Big-eyed bugs are not available commercially.
To attract Big-eyed bugs to your garden you will need to grow: Caraway (Carum carvi), Cosmos “white sensation” (Cosmos bipinnatus), Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Spearmint (Mentha spicata), Peter Pan Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea), and Marigold “lemon gem” (Tagetes tenuifolia).
Minute Pirate Bugs: Minute pirate bugs are very small (~1/12 inch long) predators that are difficult to see without a hand lens or jeweler’s loupe. They are generalist predators that feed on small insect prey. Both the nymphs and adults are predaceous. The adults are identified by the black and white color and an X pattern across the back. The nymphs are tiny and red to orange in color. Minute pirate bugs are commercially available.
To attract Minute Pirate Bugs to your garden you will need to grow: Caraway (Carum carvi), Cosmos “white sensation” (Cosmos bipinnatus), Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Spearmint (Mentha spicata), Peter Pan Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea), and Marigold “lemon gem” (Tagetes tenuifolia).
Lacewings: Green lacewings are common generalist predators that feed on aphids. Brown lacewings are slightly smaller. Some species of adult lacewings are predaceous while the larvae are very active predators that feed on soft-bodied prey such as mites, aphids, leafhoppers, thrips, whiteflies, and pest eggs. Lacewings in nearly all life stages are commercially available.
To attract Lacewings to your garden you will need to grow: Fern-leaf yarrow (Achillea filipendulina), Dill (Anethum graveolens), Angelica (Angelica gigas), Golden marguerite (Anthemis tinctoria), Four-wing saltbush (Atriplex canescens), Purple poppy mallow (Callirhoe involucrata), Caraway (Carum carvi), Coriander (Coriandrum sativum),
Cosmos white sensation (Cosmos bipinnatus), Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota), Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), Prairie sunflower (Helianthus maximilianii), Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare), Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale).
Parasitic Wasps: There are several species of parasitoid wasps that parasitize aphids specifically. Parasitic wasps that specialize on aphids are very small (~1/8 inch long) and female wasps have a modified stinger for depositing eggs. The egg is injected into an aphid where the larva develops inside. Parasitized aphids are a light tan to gold color and have a bulbous look. A circular cut out on the rearend of the aphid indicates adult wasp emergence. Parasitic wasps are commercially available but there are abundant populations in the environment.
Hornets, Paper Wasps, Yellow Jackets: Although hornets, paper wasps and yellow jackets are often considered a nuisance, they are predators of soft-bodied insects. They do not typically sting humans unless they are disturbed. If their nests are not in an area likely to be disturbed by people then it is not a bad idea to leave them alone.
Leafhoppers
To attract Lacewings to your garden you will need to grow: Fern-leaf yarrow (Achillea filipendulina), Dill (Anethum graveolens), Angelica (Angelica gigas), Golden marguerite (Anthemis tinctoria), Four-wing saltbush (Atriplex canescens), Purple poppy mallow (Callirhoe involucrata), Caraway (Carum carvi), Coriander (Coriandrum sativum),
Cosmos white sensation (Cosmos bipinnatus), Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota), Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), Prairie sunflower (Helianthus maximilianii), Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare), Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale).
Damsel Bugs: These true bugs are very common and abundant in farms, gardens and landscapes. They are generalist predators and both the adults and nymphs eat aphids, caterpillar eggs, small larvae, fleahoppers, lygus bugs, leafhoppers, treehoppers, spider mites, and other soft-bodied insects, especially on shorter growing plants. They are common in agricultural habitats, such as soybean, corn, and alfalfa. Damsel bugs are greyish brown in color and have grasping front legs. They are not commercially available.
To attract Damsel Bugs to your garden you will need to grow: Caraway (Carum carvi), Cosmos “white sensation” (Cosmos bipinnatus), Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Spearmint (Mentha spicata), Peter Pan Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea), and Marigold “lemon gem” (Tagetes tenuifolia).
Ladybeetles, Ladybugs, or Ladybird Beetles: Ladybeetles are probably the most well-known of beetles that eat aphids. There are many species, and both the adults and larvae eat aphids. Convergent lady beetles and the seven-spotted ladybeetles are abundant species in the environment. Eggs are found in clutches, yellow and football shaped. Larvae have an alligator-like appearance, and are black with orange markings. Pupae are sedentary. Ladybeetles are commercially available but purchasing is not generally recommended since the adult stage tends to fly away once released. Introductions may be more effective in greenhouses and high tunnels. Diverse plantings can help recruit resident ladybeetles to an area.
To attract Ladybugs to your garden you will need to grow: Angelica, Calendula, Caraway, Chives, Cilantro, Cosmos,
Dill, Fennel, Feverfew, Marigold, Statice, Sweet Alyssum, and Yarrow. You may also want to grow decoy crops to keep your ladybugs supplied with aphids to eat such as Early cabbage, Marigold, Nasturtium, and Radish. Without a food source, your ladybugs will be forced to leave which will leave your crops vulnerable.
Minute Pirate Bugs: Minute pirate bugs are very small (~1/12 inch long) predators that are difficult to see without a hand lens or jeweler’s loupe. They are generalist predators that feed on small insect prey. Both the nymphs and adults are predaceous. The adults are identified by the black and white color and an X pattern across the back. The nymphs are tiny and red to orange in color. Minute pirate bugs are commercially available.
To attract Minute Pirate Bugs to your garden you will need to grow: Caraway (Carum carvi), Cosmos “white sensation” (Cosmos bipinnatus), Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Spearmint (Mentha spicata), Peter Pan Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea), and Marigold “lemon gem” (Tagetes tenuifolia).
Spiders: Prey on a wide range including bed bugs, aphids, roaches, grasshoppers, cabbage looper, and fruit flies.
To attract Spiders to your garden you will need to grow: tall plants for weaving spiders, mulch for predatory spiders.
Nutrition
Health Benefits of Black Beans
Black beans also have small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, which are “good” forms of cholesterol in our bodies that balance the negative effects of omega-6 fatty acids, “bad” cholesterols. They have slightly anti-hypertensive effects, which means that they can improve blood flow, lower blood pressure, and put less strain or oxidative stress on the cardiovascular system as a whole.
Cancer Prevention: Black beans have been shown to reduce the risk of certain types of cancers due to the flavonoids found in their seed coat. There are 8 different flavonoids that have been found in the seed coat, and three of them are anthocyanins. Flavonoids are basically color-producing phytonutrient pigments that function as antioxidants in the body to fight disease and free radicals.
Anthocyanins are pigments, but they can have a powerful effect on the body, including everything from the inhibition of blood vessel growth to cancerous tumors, slowing growth of dangerous cells, and increasing the speed of apoptosis (cell death) within cancer cells. The anthocyanins, along with all the other phytonutrients found on the seed coat, make black beans a very powerful weapon in the fight against cancer if you add it regularly to your diet!
Digestive Issues: Black beans are great for regulating digestive issues because they contain unusually high levels of protein and fiber for such a small bean, making them a “super food” of sorts. Protein and fiber both help food move through the digestive tract, allowing it to have its nutrients removed and then the waste expelled in a healthy way. They are also digested slower than meat, which has a similar protein content, so eating beans can leave you satisfied longer. In this way, black beans can clean out a digestive system and help prevent overeating.
Black beans are also smaller than other beans, which people find easier to digest. Over time, with a regular addition of black beans to the diet, the soluble fiber content will absorb water into your stool, which can reduce constipation problems. It is important to add black beans as a regular part of your diet so the beneficial elements can build up in the body’s intestinal systems, and the body becomes normalized fur to to more fiber being involved with the digestive process.
Blood Sugar: Uneven digestive rates can cause unbalanced blood sugar levels in the body, but black beans regulate this issue as well. As mentioned above, the fiber and protein in black beans keeps digestion flowing at a steady rate, so concentrated doses of nutrient uptake does not occur. Rather, a steady removal of nutrients occurs throughout the digestive process. When digestion is unsteady, spikes or crashes in blood sugar can occur, which are dangerous and even fatal to patients with diabetes or similar blood sugar-related conditions.
Sulfites and Sexual Dysfunction: Studies have shown that black beans are extremely high in molybdenum, a rare mineral not found frequently in foods. Molybdenum is important for a number of reasons, primarily because it can break down and detoxify sulfites. Sulfites are acidic compounds found in wines, dried fruits, and some vegetables, and many people are very sensitive to their effects, which include headaches and disorientation. The molybdenum found in black beans counteracts these effects, neutralizing the negative effects so people can enjoy those foods again. Molybdenum also helps in cell energy production and development of nervous system.
Also, molybdenum has been shown to reduce impotence and erectile dysfunction in older men when regularly consumed in the diet. This rare vitamin has regularly been linked to increased energy and interest in sexual activity in older men.
Nervous System: Black beans can also benefit the functions of the nervous system by helping to provide the necessary amino acids and molybdenum. Black beans have many vitamins and minerals, but there is a noticeably higher amount of vitamin B9, or folate. Folate, also known as folic acid, plays a key part in the regulation of specific amino acids that the nervous system requires. Without dietary folate, studies have shown an increase in homocysteine levels, which can be a dangerous precursor to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Regularly adding black beans to your diet can insure safe folate levels in your system, helping to prevent some of these conditions.
Pre-Natal Health: Another benefit of folate, which is found in such high levels within black beans, is its’ role in protecting infants in the womb. The folate levels in a woman’s body are integral to the normal and healthy development of the fetus, particularly in the brain and spinal cord. By adding healthy amounts of black beans, and therefore folate, into your diet, you can protect your baby while it is still in the womb.
Black Beans: Health Risks
Phytic Acid: Beans have natural seed coats that protect their nutritious contents from predators and insects while growing in nature. One of the components of that seed coat is phytic acid, which protects the seed from premature germination. If the phytic acid is not removed from the bean before eating, it can bind to common minerals like calcium, magnesium, and copper, preventing them from being absorbed as nutrients in the body. These unabsorbed minerals can build up and cause many different conditions, from small irritations like digestive irritability to more serious issues like hormonal disruption and impaired brain function. Basically, cook your beans, and make sure that they soak in water to neutralize the harmful effects of phytic acid!
Oligosaccharides: Black beans contain a complex sugar called oligosaccharides, and the human body does not produce the enzyme that would naturally break that sugar down. Therefore, oligosaccharides ferment in the digestive system and begin to produce methane, which is released from the body in somewhat unpleasant ways. Again, soaking your beans in water and making sure that they are cooked can greatly reduce the amount of oligosaccharides in the beans, along with reducing all of the other organic parts of beans that are difficult to digest or process.
Suggested Varieties
Alyssum, Sweet: Royal Carpet (Lobularia maritima)
Balm: Lemon (Melissa officinalis)
Beets: Cylindra (Heirloom) (Beta vulgaris)
Beets: Detroit Dark Red (Heirloom) (Beta vulgaris)
Beets: Golden Detroit (Heirloom) (Beta vulgaris)
Beets seem to have originated in the Mediterranean region, where people grew them for thousands of years. Later, beets grew in Germany and Holland and were used as cattle fodder; they were later imported to England for this purpose, but the poor began to raise them for an affordable food source. American colonists later brought them to the New World, where they became a commonly enjoyed food both for their roots and their greens. According to historians, George Washington experimented with beets, cross-pollinating them to create new varieties.
Broccoli: Green Sprouting Calabrese (Organic) (Brassica oleracea var. italica)
Broccoli: Purple Sprouting (Heirloom) (Brassica oleracea var. italica)
Broccoli: Waltham 29 (Heirloom) (Brassica oleracea var. italica)
Brussels Sprout: Long Island Improved (Heirloom) (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera)
Cabbage: Early Jersey Wakefield (Heirloom) (Brassica oleracea var. capitata)
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Cabbage: Late Flat Dutch (Heirloom) (Brassica oleracea var. capitata)
Cabbage: Red Acre (Heirloom) (Brassica oleracea var. capitata)
Cabbage is considered one of the oldest cultivated vegetables, since historians trace it back to 4,000 BC in China. The Romans also cultivated it and praised it for its healing qualities; philosophers Pythagoras and Cato both made the lowly cabbage the subject of a book. Jacques Cartier brought the first cabbage to America in 1536. Cabbages were quite popular in colonial America, being pickled and preserved in every possible way to provide food for the winter.
Cabbage, Chinese: Pak Choi (Heirloom) (Brassica rapa var. chinensis)
Carrots: Chantenay Red Cored (Heirloom) (Daucus carota)
Carrots: Cosmic Purple (Heirloom) (Daucus carota)
Carrots: Danvers (Heirloom) (Daucus carota)
Carrots: Rainbow Blend (Heirloom) (Daucus carota)
Carrots: Scarlet Nantes (Heirloom) (Daucus carota)
Carrots: Tendersweet (Heirloom) (Daucus carota)
Cauliflower: Snowball Y Improved (Heirloom) (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis)
Celery: Tendercrisp (Heirloom) (Apium graveolens var. dulce)
Celery: Utah Tall 52/70 (Heirloom) (Apium graveolens var. dulce)
Coriander: Leisure (Coriandrum sativum)
Corn: Country Gentleman-Open Pollinated (Heirloom) (Zea mays)
Corn: Golden Bantam-Open Pollinated (Heirloom) (Zea mays)
Corn, Popcorn: Shaman's Blue (Hybrid) Open Pollinated (Zea mays)
Blue corn originated in the Andes Mountains of Peru, where the native peoples usually ground it into flour for cooking. Indians of Mexico and the southwestern United States also widely used this corn, since its dryness made it an excellent flour corn and gave it good resistance to disease. This exciting blue popcorn receives high marks for both visual and taste appeal. The unique blue/purple kernel pops into mounds of snow white popcorn that will satisfy any popcorn lover with its slightly sweet flavor.
Cosmos: Bright Lights (Cosmos sulphureus)
Cosmos: Candy Stripe (Cosmos bipinnatus)
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Cosmos: Radiance (Cosmos bipinnatus)
Cucumber: Lemon (Heirloom) (Cucumis sativus)
Cucumber: Marketmore 76' (Heirloom) (Cucumis sativus)
Cucumber: Mexican Sour Gherkin (Heirloom) (Melothria scabra)
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Cucumber: National Pickling (Heirloom) (Cucumis sativus)
Cucumber: Straight Eight (Heirloom) (Cucumis sativus)
Cucumber: Sumter (Heirloom) (Cucumis sativus)
Cucumber: Wisconsin SMR 58 (Heirloom) (Cucumis sativus)
Dill: Dukat (Anethum graveolens)
Eggplant: Black Beauty (Heirloom) (Solanum melongena var. esculentum)
Eggplants date back to medieval times where they were called mad apples. A staple of regions of Asia, known as the "king of vegetables". Eggplant comes in all shapes colors and sizes. Black Beauty is one of the earliest and dates back to the early 1900's.
Eggplant: Golden Egg (Solanum Melongena)
Ornamental Eggplant is a very unique tropical annual that produce purple flowers and egg-shaped, edible fruit that begin white and turn golden upon maturity. Excellent choices for pots and containers, ornamental hedge, or house plant.
Eggplant: Long Purple (Heirloom) (Solanum melongena)
This Italian heirloom eggplant, Long Purple, produces dark purple cucumber-shaped fruit with firm, mild flesh. Good yields, especially in northern climates! Plants will typically produce 4 or more 8-10" fruits with harvest beginning in 70 to 80 days. Average water needs. Some parts of plant are poisonous if ingested.
Gloriosa Daisy (Rudbeckia Hirta)
Gloriosa Daisy is an U.S. Native Wildflower that was first bred by Alfred Blakeslee and then introduced to commerce by Washington Atlee Burpee in 1957 at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Flower Show. It's brilliantly bright display of red/orange flowers that are bordered with yellow make it perfect as a cut flower. It also produces stems and flowers that are double the size of the other Rudbeckia Hirta wild varieties! Gloriosa Daisy flowers attract many pollinators such as bats, honey and native bees, birds, and is also a larval host plant for such as Bordered Patch, Gorgone Checkerspot, and many other species of butterflies.
Kale: Lacinato (Heirloom) (Brassica oleracea - Acephala Group)
Kale: Ornamental (Hybrid) (Brassica oleracea - Acephala Group)
Ornamental Kale provides amazing color from early fall well into winter with frilly green outer leaves and pink, white or purple centers. As the rest of the flowers in the garden are dying down, Ornamental Kale is just getting started!
Kale: Red Russian (Heirloom) (Brassica Oleracea - Acephala Group)
Kohlrabi: Purple Vienna (Heirloom) (Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes)
Lacy Phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia)
Lacy Phacelia's Annual U.S. Native Wildflower that has beautiful five lobed, bell shaped, lavender blue flowers that have the sweet smell of grapes. It is listed in the top 20 pollen producing flowers and attracts many beneficial insects such as butterflies, hoverflies, and bumblebees. Lacy Phacelia is also a host plant to the beneficial insect named tachinid flies who not only help pollinate, but it's larvae provide protection to Lacy Phacelia and other near by plants from aphids, armyworms, moths, beetles, sawflies, stink bugs and other insects.
Marigolds: Naughty Marietta (Tagetes patula)
Marigolds: Sparky Mix French (Tagetes patula)
Marigold: White (Tagetes Erecta 'Kilimanjaro')
Commonly called African marigold, Aztec marigold, American marigold or big marigold, is native to Mexico and Central America. Big marigold may be the best descriptive name because plants are noted for their large flowerheads. They typically grow from 1-4’ tall and feature huge, mostly double-globular flowers (2-4” diameter) in various shades of yellow, orange, and whitish. This variety is unaffected by high summer heat and generally blooms throughout the summer.
Mustard: Red Giant (Heirloom) (Brassica juncea)
Mustard greens originated near the Himalayan region of northern India, where they have been growing for thousands of years. Chinese, Japanese, and African cuisine also make use of this peppery vegetable. Though not particularly well known in most parts of the United States, mustard greens are a traditional part of culture in the southern region.
Mustard: Tendergreen (Heirloom) (Brassica rapa var. perviridis)
Mustard greens originated near the Himalayan region of northern India, where they have been growing for thousands of years. Chinese, Japanese, and African cuisine also make use of this peppery vegetable. Though not particularly well known in most parts of the United States, mustard greens are a traditional part of culture in the southern region.
Parsley: Italian Giant (Heirloom) (Petroselinum crispum var. neapolitanum)
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Pea: Alaska (Heirloom) (Pisum sativum)
Pea: Blue Butterfly (Heirloom) (Clitoria ternatea)
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Butterfly pea vine is part of the Clitoria genus and its scientific name is Clitoria ternatea. The ternatea part of this plant's botanical name means 'set in threes'. It is native to tropical equatorial Asia. It is a perennial herbaceous plant, with elliptic, obtuse leaves. It grows as a vine or creeper, doing well in moist, neutral soil. The most striking feature about this plant are its vivid deep blue flowers; solitary, with light yellow markings. They provide quick covers for lattice, trellis, arbor and chain-link fence, and are a favorite food source for butterflies.
Pea: Early Frosty (Heirloom) (Pisum sativum)
Poppy Mallow: Purple (Callirhoe involucrata)
Radish: Early Scarlet Globe (Heirloom) (Raphanus sativus)
Radish: German Giant (Heirloom) (Raphanus sativus)
Radish: Watermelon (Heirloom) (Raphanus sativus)
The Watermelon radish is a type of Japanese winter radish also known as a "daikon," which simply means "large root" in Japanese. Daikon radishes account for the largest percentage of any cultivated vegetable in Japan, and can be found in some form in nearly every meal of that country. Watermelon radishes, which orginated in north China near Beijing, are often served sweetened there as a dessert or fruit.
Radish: White Spear Sprouting (Heirloom) (Raphanus sativus)
Turnips: Purple Top White Globe (Heirloom) (Brassica rapa)
Yarrow: Red (Achillea millefolium rubra)
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