When/How to Harvest Dry Beans and How to Dry Them | PNW Zone 8b

Hi Friends, this video is all about harvesting dried beans. The beans we are harvesting today are cranberry beans (a pinto type) but the same rule applies to all dried beans. Basically, you want the beans to dry out as much as they can on the plants. If wet weather or frosts are threatening, it is best to pull your pods/plants before that happens and avoid heartaches associated with the pods rotting.
When you check the beans, you want to use the finger dent test. This means that you want to see if the bean can be dented by your fingernail when presses into the bean. If there is a dent, you need to dry them further inside or in a covered/protected area before storing them. If you plan to use them right away, you can go ahead and cook them up.
I hope this video was helpful. Please let me know if you have any questions about harvesting dried beans in the comments. Thank you for watching and Happy Gardening!!
#pnwgardening #driedbeans #beans #growingfood #zone8b

[@IsaSab]

When it rains around harvest time (every year, where I live!), I harvest the pods and immediatly put them in the dehydrator. Harvesting when wet is the worst, they get moldy so fast :( so now they go from outside -> directly in dehydrator. They are dry to open the pods in a few hours only, then once my beans are separated I put those back in the dehydrator. You’re right, harvesting at the right time is the hardest part - in doubt harvest sooner else they rot right there in the field!

[@littlerootsranch]

That is a really good point. This year, mine are close to being ready. I am going to wait for our warmest upcoming day and try to harvest them late in the day but the morning dew is like a morning rain.

[@ikhouvanpannekoeken3272]

Hi I have a black bean plant and there are a lot of bean pods growing. A large been pod recently turned dry and had a light brown colour. When i opened the bean pod up, i saw that there were just 3 beans. They did not look shiny and big instead they looked small, dry and crooked. Also, almost all of my bean leaves are turning white and the surface of my soil dries to quickly. should i throw the plant away and start over? Thank you for the help

[@littlerootsranch]

Hmmmm, that doesn’t sound good. Is it possible the plant isn’t getting enough water? If it is really hot where you are, maybe a little shade during the heat of the day?

[@smolhoomanlady]

Informative video! Planning to grow dry beans for the first time this year. Cheers!

[@littlerootsranch]

Yay for dry beans, I just love them!

[@susanelliott1216]

An easy way to deshell dry beans was put them in a clean garbage bag ....and stop on them like grapes....it crushes all the shells . And the loose dry bean fall to the bottom of the bag... 5 minutes for a gallon of beans

[@littlerootsranch]

That is a perfect idea. I have done similar but with a huge tarp.

[@drewg.a.2594]

Weevils? How does putting the beans in the freezer kill these pests? And do I rinse them off and then put on drying rack?

[@littlerootsranch]

Freezing them kills them so they can’t eat everything in storage. You won’t see them as they tunnel into the bean and then eat all of the contents. Not everyone deals with weevils. Some people store all flour in the freezer for the same reason. And yes, you would let them unfreeze, dry off/out and then store. The freezer method works best right after picking them, then freeze, then cure and store.

[@lizabellos4859]

Nice visuals . It really does help to see the stages of drying . Thank you

[@littlerootsranch]

Thank you, I was happy to have all the stages available. The really green pods come from an area that gets over spayed from my sprinkler so they are not drying out as well.

[@dr.b865]

Thanks for the weevil advice. I have been struggling with those.

[@bambigrage8464]

Very helpful! Going to harvest and bring inside today before the rain! More videos please!❤️🙏

[@littlerootsranch]

How did it turn out?

[@FeliciaWilson-d9b]

super helpful-Thank you!!

[@littlerootsranch]

Absolutely, thank you for watching.

[@susanelliott1216]

My beans are not dry yet

[@littlerootsranch]

I planted my dry beans in June (I think it was June, maybe late May?) when I put out my first popcorn transplants.

[@hope-vx3rc]

Super helpful thankyou. Just wondered ..I have loads of beans but no where to dry them. Can you pod and freeze beans that are fresh still to go straight in stews etc? - the actual inner beans not the green bean itself?

[@littlerootsranch]

Yes, you can. You want to freeze them on a tray for about an hour and then put them in a bag to freeze the rest of the way. The first freezing is so they do not freeze to each other.

[@susanelliott1216]

Can't find a video on composting.....do you add you spent moldy tomatoe plants to you compost?

[@littlerootsranch]

I do not have a video on composting but I need to make one. Yes, I do put moldy tomatoes in compost. Some people do not, but I think it prepares the compost for the plants.

[@amysinger2201]

what about the immature bean pod? We are expecting our first frost this week and a lot of my bean pods are still green, do I pull then in and dry them? or do I freeze them for green beans?

[@zett973]

First time growing these shell beans so this was very helpful. Thank you!

[@littlerootsranch]

Absolutely!! I love shelling beans.

[@isabelladavis1363]

Thank u for your time and information stay blessed

[@alicedemarisco696]

Thank you for this great information!!

[@luedog8385]

you need some feral cats to keep that bunny populatin down

[@littlerootsranch]

We do have a couple feral cats in the area that keep everything, but rabbits, at bay. :(

[@nicoleschmidt5402]

Super helpful. Thank you.

[@littlerootsranch]

Glad it was helpful! Thank you for watching.

[@melissamartin4145]

Can I pull plants when they are still green to hang & dry?

[@littlerootsranch]

It is best to leave them on the plant to dry, or at least mostly dry. Once they are to size, you can pull them early if you need to (like rain) but try to leave them as long as you can.

[@Draboh]

Thank you

[@littlerootsranch]

Absolutely, thank you for watching.

[@rebeccaholmberg4481]

Thanks!

[@littlerootsranch]

Thank you ☺️