Guide
Harvesting beans at the right moment
Beans picked too late become tough and stringy. Regular picking is also the main driver of continued production - a plant left to set seed stops flowering.
French and climbing beans
Pick French beans when the pods are 10–15 cm long and snap cleanly when bent - this is the snap test. At this stage the seeds inside are still small and the pod walls are tender. Pods left beyond this become leathery, the seeds bulge visibly, and the eating quality drops sharply. Harvest every two to three days in peak season.
Runner beans
Runner beans are best at 15–20 cm before they become stringy. Check the sides of the pod - if you can see the bean shape pressing through, they are on the edge of being too old. Pods past their best are still worth shelling for the beans inside, which can be eaten fresh or dried. Pick promptly - runner plants slow flower production once pods are left to mature.
The key to continuous harvest
Regular picking is the main productivity lever for beans. A plant that sets mature pods reads its reproductive job as done and stops flowering. Stripping every harvestable pod every two to three days - even if you have too many to eat - extends the productive period by weeks. Compost surplus rather than leaving pods on the plant.
Drying beans
If you want dried beans, leave selected pods on the plant until fully dry and papery at the end of the season. Shell the dry beans and spread them on trays in a dry, airy place for two to three weeks before storing in jars. Beans not fully dried will go mouldy in storage.
Broad beans
Broad beans are ready when the pods are plump and 7–10 cm long, and the beans inside are about thumbnail size. Smaller beans have better texture and flavour than mature ones. Press the pod - you should feel firm beans inside. Harvest from the bottom of the plant upward as lower pods mature first.
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