Our grandmothers planted beans and peas not only in gardens but also in balcony boxes. Nowadays, these crops have become less popular in gardens. However, it is worth returning to the experience of our wise ancestors. Why is this important?
There are five reasons for this:
1. Legumes have a huge variety
Every gardener can choose a crop to their taste. The following are available for planting:
Beans
Soybeans
Snap beans
Asparagus peas, or Tetragonolobus
Climbing decorative beans
Vigna
Lucerne
Lupins
Vetch
Lens
Garden peas
Sweet peas
2. Legumes are very beautiful
Aside from purely decorative legumes, such as sweet peas and climbing beans, all legume crops have an attractive appearance. Even the flowers of common garden peas can beautify your plot.
The common garden pea has quite charming butterfly-like flowers.
By the way, lupins also belong to the legumes! Although you cannot harvest tasty beans from them, they look great and serve as excellent green manure.
3. Legumes can grow in almost any soil
If you have sandy or clayey soils and do not know what to grow on them, feel free to plant legumes in May! Beans, peas, and pulses grow wonderfully in any soil. There are no special restrictions for them, except for crop rotation. Legumes should not be returned to their previous location for at least 3-4 years. However, other plants will thrive after them. Why? This will be explained in point number 4.
4. Legumes are extremely beneficial for the soil as they are green manure
It is no coincidence that legumes are actively used as green manure. All these crops contribute to enriching the soil with nitrogen. After legumes, you can plant almost any plants, especially beneficial to plant them before potatoes, tomatoes, and cucumbers.
5. All legumes are very beneficial for humans
They contain many nutrients that are good for digestion. They are an excellent source of protein and fiber, an important component of both children's and adult dishes. However, you already know this well! What could be better than fresh bean or pea soup!
How to properly plant legumes?
Most legumes are vines (not counting green manures like lucerne and lupins), they love light and warmth.
For planting, it is necessary to choose a sunny spot, not on a hill. All types of beans are planted after May 10, when the soil is sufficiently warmed and the threat of frost has passed. Garden peas are quite frost-resistant and can be planted as early as the beginning of May.
To help legumes germinate faster, it is recommended to plant them sprouted.
So, legumes need:
Light
Warmth
Support
That's all!
