Beans Soybeans

The immature seeds of the edible soybean are a nutritious snack. Steam or boil the whole pods for 3-5 minutes and set out (salted or unsalted) as a fun finger food. The small, slightly fuzzy pods hold fat green beans that pop easily out of the cooked pods. They have a smooth rich taste that kids love. Good for freezing also. The plants are big and vigorous but the seeds are delicate so don't drop or crush them. Plant when the soil has warmed in late May to early June and grow like bush beans You may also raise some as transplants to set out after the rain stops in early June. In our trials, in well-watered plants, sugars accumulated at about the same rate as seed expansion. Seeds are largest and the sugar content of seed was highest in plants maintained in well watered condition. Edamame should be harvested when seed size is maximised but before any yellowing of the pods occur. An indicator that this is about to happen is that the lower leaves on the plant start to yellow.(Family: Pea, Fabaceae)