Climbing Beans
How to Grow
Climbing beans need a structure to climb on. This can be anything from a wire fence, verandah or teepee made from tomato stakes, bamboo or even sturdy sticks. They like soil rich in organic matter, with low levels of nitrogen.
Sow your seeds below the climbing structure to give the tendrils an easy job of latching on. Ensure you do not over water them during the germination stage as this may cause rotting. Once germinated, provide a good mulch layer around the plant. During the growing season you may need to assist the plant with latching onto your structure.
Pests
- Cutworm
- Crows
- Small Brown Bean Bug
- White Fly
- Snails
- Slugs
Protection
Where needed use netting or an organic pest spray and good soil health practices to minimise pest impact.
Harvest
Beans can be eaten whole, either fresh or cooked. All beans are best eaten when young and string less, this is typically between 8-12cm in length. If you allow the bean pods to mature and dry out on the plant, the beans inside the pods can be used for next years crops.
We stock 2 different varieties of climbing beans:
1. Delgado Black Mexican
Delgado Black Mexican bean takes up little room and yields over a long period. Growing on trellis, they can climb up to 2 meters and produce green pods with black seeds.
- Sow Spring and Summer direct into garden
- Rare climbing variant
- Frost tender
- Strong grower
- 80 days to harvest
- Beans can be used as a natural black dye
Sow directly into garden bed, 1cm deep
Sow seeds 6cm apart and rows 60cm apart
2. Madagascar
Madagascar bean is a perennial climber (up to 2 meters) with red & white coloured large kidney shaped bean seeds.
- Sow Spring and Summer direct into garden
- Pests are minimal for this bean
- Good in wet Humid conditions
- 180 days to harvest
- Can Occasionally handle mild frost
Sow directly into garden bed, 2cm deep
Sow seeds 10cm apart and rows 60cm apart
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Add Madagascar Beans to your cart.
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Peas
How to Grow
Peas can be distinguished from beans as they only come in one shape, round (spherical). Peas are annual plants, with a life-cycle of one year. They are a cool-season crop grown in many parts of the world, planting can take place from winter to early summer depending on location.
As with beans, Peas need a structure to climb on. This can be anything from a wire fence, verandah or teepee made from tomato stakes, bamboo or even sturdy sticks.
Peas are soil nitrogen feeders, meaning they will return the nitrogen back into the soil via their root systems. They like soil rich in organic matter but they are also a legume so ensure nitrogen levels are not too high. Ensure you do not over water them during the germination stage as this may cause rotting. Once germinated, provide a good mulch layer around the plant. During the growing season you may need to assist the plant with latching onto your structure
Pests
- Cabbage moth/Cabbage looper
- Snails
- Slugs
Protection
Where needed use netting or an organic pest spray and good soil health practices to minimise pest impact.
Harvest
Peas should be cooked by boiling or steaming as this breaks down the cell wall and makes the nutrients more bioavailable.
We stock 4 different varieties of climbing beans:
1. Golden Podded Climbing Pea
Golden Podded Pea is an annual vigorous climber to 2m producing sweet golden pods. Can be eaten at any stage from young to mature pod stage.
- SOW Autumn to Spring
- Best eaten young or to medium age
- Hardy grower best in full sun
- Peas prefer a trellis or climbing structure
- Heavy cropper
Sow direct into your garden in Autumn to Spring, in a well drained position. The Golden Podded Pea likes fertile well drained soil and a support to grow and climb on is essential.
Sow directly into garden bed, 2cm deep
Sow seeds 10cm apart and rows 60cm apart
Add Golden Podded Peas to your cart.
2. Purple Podded Climbing Pea
Purple Podded Pea is an annual vigorous climber to 2m producing an abundance of medium sized pods suitable for shelling and eating. The entire pod is edible when young or when mature.
- Sow Autumn to Winter
- Hardy grower best in full sun
- Require a trellis or structure to climb on
- Harvest pods when approx 7cm long
- Unfortunately this product cannot be sent to Tasmania
Sow direct into your garden Autumn to Winter in a well drained position. The Purple Podded Pea likes fertile well drained soil and requires supports to grow and climb on.
Sow directly into garden bed, 2cm deep
Sow seeds 10cm apart and rows 60cm apart. 
Add Purple Podded Peas to your cart.
3. Snow Pea (Purple Flower)
Purple Flowered Snow Pea is a climber up to 2 meters with large flat sweet pods growing to 13cm long with purple flowers. Sweet and tasty winter vegetables. Ideal for stir fries and tastes amazing eaten fresh from the plant.
- Sow Autumn to Spring
- Produces large flat, sweet tasting pods
- Require a trellis or structure to climb on
- Harvest pods when approx 13cm long
Sow direct into your garden Autumn to Spring in a well drained position. The Snow Pea likes fertile well drained soil as well as a structure or support for the plant to grow and climb on.
Sow directly into garden bed, 2cm deep
Sow seeds 8cm apart and rows 60cm apart.
Add Snow Pea Purple Flowered to your cart.
4. Sweet Peas Perennial Pink (Not Edible)
Sweet Pea (Lathyrus odoratus) is not edible and are poisonous if ingested. They are an entirely different genus to edible green peas (Pisium sativum). Sweet Pea Perennial Pinks are grown for their pretty pink flowers and for their handy work in adding nitrogen to the soil.
Perennial Pink Sweet Pea produces flowers in Spring and is a strong climber to 2.5 meters, producing masses of pink flowers over a long period. Prefers a full sun position and fertile well drained soil.
- Sow Autumn to Winter
- Hardy grower best in full sun
- Require a trellis or structure to climb on
- Decorative plant only (NOT EDIBLE)
Sow direct into your garden Autumn to Winter in a well drained position. The Sweet Pea likes fertile well drained soil and a sturdy structure to climb and grow on.
Sow directly into garden bed, 2cm deep
Sow seeds 10cm apart and rows 60cm apart.
Add Sweet Pea Perennial Pink to your cart.