Why you should grow “Little Red Riding Hood” beans on your plot - a description of the variety and its advantages
Beans occupy a central place in the diet of many peoples of the world. It is used in cooking and is readily canned, since it retains 70% of vitamins and 80% of minerals in comparison with fresh fruits. It is not difficult to cultivate, and the number of varieties is pleasingly diverse.
The appearance of the Red Riding Hood variety attracts with its cheerful coloring: as if they took a red Kidney and dipped it in white chocolate. Let’s figure out what else is attractive about this variety and how it should be grown.
Description of the variety
The Red Riding Hood variety is an annual plant of the Phaséolus vulgáris species. from the large legume family, belongs to bush varieties.
The plant is spreading, medium branched. Compact bush - height from 24 to 48 cm, diameter 35-40 cm. The leaves are pinnate, triple, yellow-green. Flowers are white, raceme inflorescences.
Grain variety, medium ripening period, consistently productive.
Pod length – 10-12 cm, 8-12 grains per pod. The grains are medium in size - 9-11 mm, flat-cylindrical, slightly curved, white in color with a red spot located in the eye area.
Distinctive features
Red Riding Hood beans got their name due to the original color of the beans.. The variety is resistant to lodging (stem tilting) and damage from anthracnose (fungus) and bacteriosis.
Shelled beans, with a faint parchment layer on the leaves, which allows you to collect the blades and use it as asparagus.
Characteristics of the variety
Reliable productive variety with good grain taste, disease resistant.
Fruits reach technical maturity in 55-65 days after germination, and fully ripen in 100 days.
The yield of the variety is high, can reach 3 tons per hectare, the fruits ripen together.
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How to grow delicious green beans in the country
How to grow beans
Beans can be grown in open and closed ground, providing a comfortable temperature for her 23-25 degrees and at least 6 hours of intense sunlight. Grows in sunny areas and in partial shade. It is planted under the canopy of tall trees and between bushes.
Also it can be grown on the balcony, loggia and windowsill.
Seed preparation
Before planting, the seed must be sorted. All low-quality grains can be easily identified by eye and rejected based on the following signs: flabbyness, the presence of dark spots and other visible damage.
Grains intended for planting are pre-soaked in water for 6-10 hours.
In case of doubt about the quality of the material, pre-sowing treatment is carried out. Instead of water for soaking, use a warm solution of potassium permanganate or boric acid, then pour the remaining solution into the ground. In extreme cases, treat with a solution of fungicides and insecticides.
Container and soil
Choose fertile, well-drained soil for planting beans. with neutral acidity. Loam is best for beans.
Bush asparagus varieties are recommended for growing in a box., since it is not always possible to obtain grain at home.Red cap is also a good choice because the fruits of this peeling variety are eaten in the form of green pods.
Because the length of the roots of bush varieties develops to a depth of 25 to 60 cm, plant the seeds in a common box or individual pots with a depth of 20 cm with drainage holes. The bottom is covered with expanded clay, a layer of 2–3 cm.
3–5 liters of soil per plant is enough. The soil is bought in the store; it is suitable for universal soil for vegetable seedlings. If desired, make up your own mixture: 1 part turf soil, 1 part humus, a glass of wood ash per bucket of the mixture.
Sowing
Beans are heat-loving and do not tolerate frost.. The plant is planted in open ground in May, when the air temperature remains above 16 degrees for several weeks, and the soil warms up to 12 degrees.
Planted in sun-warmed, wind-protected beds. In warm climates, a sign of the right time to plant beans in open ground is the period when chestnuts begin to bloom.
Bean roots produce their own nitrogen., but in the initial period of growth there are few of them, so before planting a small amount of nitrogen-containing fertilizers is applied, often using soil from the area where beans were already growing.
Sow in moist soil, after sowing, water generously with water that has settled in the sun.. Plant in prepared holes or furrows 3-5 cm deep, the distance between the grains should be at least 10 cm. The rows are placed at a distance of 30 cm from each other.
In the garden bed you can plant in rows, nests or in a checkerboard pattern.. The first provides more convenient harvesting. During prolonged rains, plants dry out faster, which protects against the development of rot.
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Care
Red Riding Hood beans are cared for like other shelled varieties..
Use settled water for irrigation. After planting, water once every 7-10 days. The amount of water is easy to determine: the soil should be moderately moist, but not soggy. When the plants reach 15 cm in height, they are hilled.
Stop watering when the fifth leaf appears.. With the beginning of flowering, water as after planting, gradually increasing the amount of liquid and reducing the intervals between waterings.
By the time the pods form, the moisture should be doubled and more frequent.. A few weeks before harvesting a fully ripe crop, watering is stopped again.
The hardened surface of the earth is broken between waterings.. Loosening is done with a small blade and shallowly so as not to harm the roots.
The first fertilizing is carried out in the first leaf phase — during this period, the plant needs fertilizers with a high phosphorus content.
When the buds begin to appear, water with a solution of potassium salt, and during the formation of the beans, sprinkle ash under the bushes.
Attention! Plants absorb all nutrients in dissolved form. After each fertilizing, the bed is watered.
Features of cultivation and possible difficulties
During early planting and in case of return frosts The bean shoots are covered with film or other non-woven material.
In cold areas it is recommended to plant beans as seedlings. You can plant this variety in a greenhouse, but keep in mind that bush beans will require a lot of space.
Beans Little Red Riding Hood does not require tying.
Diseases and pests
Diseases can occur due to improper care, contamination of the soil or planting material. To avoid infection, it is not recommended to plant the same crops in one area more often than once every 3-4 years.
One of the possible diseases is viral mosaic: When infected, dead areas appear on the leaves. Pre-sowing treatment helps to avoid this disease.
Main pests:
- spider mite - affects plants in a greenhouse, and the leaves become lighter, then turn yellow and dry out. To combat this pest, an insecticide is used;
- bean grain - this pest is located inside the grain. Before planting, you need to carefully check the beans for damage.
Harvesting and application
Already 15 days after flowering, young fruits can be collected. It is better to cut the pods with scissors in the morning. At this time, they gain the maximum amount of moisture and become juicy.
The ripe crop is harvested when the pods become dry. Cut the stems and hang them by the lower part in a dry, ventilated area. When the pods begin to open easily and the grains are easily separated from the cuttings, the beans are shelled (cleaned).
Husked grains are dried in the sun or in the oven, after which they are stored in tightly closed containers or linen bags.
Low-calorie Red Riding Hood beans - 102 kcal per 100 g. During heat treatment it does not become overcooked, the texture remains dense. The creamy, nutty flavor of the beans combines with tomatoes, cucumbers and bell peppers. Suitable for salads, soups and side dishes.
Due to its nutritional qualities and high yield widely used in the canning industry.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Disease resistance and high yield make the Red Riding Hood variety a good choice for planting in open ground.
Of the minuses - in cool climates, incomplete ripening of grains is likely.
However the ability to eat the green pods of this variety makes it not without interest for similar regions.
Farmer reviews
Before planting a particular crop, be sure to read the opinions of other summer residents and gardeners. They will not only give valuable advice on growing, but also characterize the variety as a whole. We have selected for you some reviews from online gardening forums.
Evelina: “A very interesting variety. We plant 1-2 beans every 10-15 cm in a row, leaving 20-25 cm between rows. Before planting, the grains can be kept in water, so they will germinate faster. Beans are afraid of frost, so we plant them in the second half of May.
After the first leaves appear, thin out the plants, leaving one at a time. Little Red Riding Hood is very beautiful, one half of the bean is white and the other is red, we prepare the first and second courses with it. We remove it after the pod has fully ripened and turned yellow.”
Elena: “In our market, grandmothers often find these beans - 10 rubles per glass. I can assure you that it is very tasty and cooks quickly. We love her with our whole family."
Conclusion
The Red Riding Hood variety attracts the interest of many summer residents and gardeners primarily for its unusual coloring. Its taste qualities are not inferior to external ones, and that is why this type of bean is so popular among gardeners.
Simple agricultural cultivation techniques, no need for expensive fertilizers, resistance to diseases and high yields make Little Red Riding Hood one of the favorites among novice summer residents. The main thing is to take proper care of it, and then a rich and tasty harvest will not take long to arrive!