Phaseolus vulgaris Laguna

The Laguna Dwarf Bean is a very vigorous and resistant variety. It produces abundantly fleshy, well-calibrated pods that are 12 to 15 cm (5 to 6in) long. Their beautiful dark green color withstands cooking. With their very fine flavor, the pods can be consumed whole in Italian, Indian or Lebanese cuisine, etc. Harvest them as needed.
Sow from April to July to harvest from June to September. This bushy variety is highly resistant to bean diseases. Whether consumed for its pod or its seed, the bean is a highly appreciated vegetable in gardens because it is very easy to grow. It is so punctual that the gardener knows the exact date of its first harvest, which is 60 days after sowing.

Discovered in the New World and acclimatized in Europe from the 16th century, the bean has now become an essential legume in diets around the world. The Native Americans cultivated it for its dried seeds, but it was the Italians who, in the 18th century, introduced the consumption of the whole immature pod.
The bean is a vine with indeterminate growth. Primitive varieties are all climbing and require support. Later, for practical reasons, dwarf varieties were selected, but they all have tendrils that can wrap around a support.
The pods are generally green, sometimes yellow (butter beans), striped with red or even amethyst. Among the varieties that are eaten at the fine or extra fine stage, there are string beans that develop threads when ripe. Then the pod becomes parchment-like and loses its taste quality.
The snap bean is generally more fleshy and can be consumed entirely, both the seeds and the pods, even when ripe. More recently created string - snap beans can be consumed when young and extra fine, or at a more fleshy stage like a snap bean as they do not form threads.

Among the shell beans (i.e., beans whose seeds are consumed), a distinction is made between harvesting fresh beans and dry beans, which is 90 days after sowing.

Immature green pods are rich in vitamins A, B9, and C, as well as trace elements and minerals. Dry beans are also very rich in vitamin C, trace elements, and especially vegetable proteins.

Harvesting: the harvest of fresh beans or young pods begins 60 days after sowing. For fresh beans, it should be done before the pods start to dehydrate and develop wrinkles. The beans should barely take on their color. For the consumption of pods, the harvest should take place every 2 or 3 days, both at the fine and extra fine stages for string beans. The harvest of dry beans is done by completely cutting the plant, which is then hung in a dry and ventilated place. They can be shelled as needed.

Storage: freezing pods is now the most common method of preservation. To do this, trim, wash, blanch for 5 to 6 minutes in boiling water, then immerse in cold water and dry with a clean cloth. Once placed in a bag, the beans can be stored in the freezer at -18°C (-0.4°F). However, canning is regaining popularity for an increasing number of consumers due to the taste qualities inherent in this preservation method. As with freezing, trim, wash, blanch, and then place the beans in jars that are filled with salted boiling water. Close the jars and sterilize in a pressure cooker or with a sterilizer for 1 hour and 30 minutes over medium heat. To do this, completely cover the jars with water after securing them well.

Dry beans: when completely dry, bean seeds can be stored for up to a year if kept in good conditions, such as in airtight jars.

Gardener's tip: beans, like all members of the Fabaceae family, have the ability to fix nitrogen from the air in the soil through a plant-bacteria symbiosis. They have the ability to regenerate soils. Beans can be grown as part of crop rotation after burying green manure.
Beans are plants that are not very demanding in nutrients. Traditionally, bean cultivation is associated in Central and South America with the cultivation of squash and corn, forming a beneficial triad. This association is locally called Milpa. Beans also associate well with eggplants, carrots, cabbages, potatoes, and radishes, as they protect each other. Avoid the presence of alliums or fennel, as their growth is inhibited.

A spray of nettle manure allows for effective control of aphid attacks and also strengthens the plants that have benefited from it.