Gardening with Kids...Try "Magic" Purple Green Beans!

Got a kiddo that doesn’t like to eat veggies? Try “Magic” beans! Bean seeds are nice and big and work well for little hands to plant.  They sprout and grow quickly as long as you wait until the soil is warmed up..(.it is now in June for sure!)

What Kind?

I usually plant Royal Burgundy because they have it at my local nursery.  If you can’t find those you can always mail order from Renee’s Garden Seed Company. So, what is so “magic” about these purple beans? Take a look:

First you plant them:

Then you let them grow:

Pick them:

Clean and trim them: (I like all the colors. Green and yellow don’t change color though…not as much fun as the purple kind!)

Then grab the kids, bring a few inches of water to boil and drop them in…make sure the kids watch closely…it happens fast!

And there you have it: Magic Beans! Cook a few minutes more until tender and watch the kids eat them up!

Growing Beans:

Wait to plant until the soil has warmed up. Our last frost date is April 15 but the seeds I planted on that day rotted in the ground and never sprouted.  And that was in raised beds where the soil is warmer sooner. Around May first I planted more and they practically jumped out of the ground! These photos are from last year since this year’s crop is just beginning to produce beans.

Give them plenty of water. You can let the soil just barely dry out but don’t let them sit dry for days on end or the beans will be stringy and not tender.  Bush beans don’t need supports to climb and you can plant 9 seeds in a square foot of ground if you use the square foot gardening method.They  are ready to eat 8 weeks after planting! I use Miracle Gro once or twice while they are growing but if your soil is very fertile you may not need any fertilizer. Full sun is a must but that means 6-8 hours of sun, not the entire 12 hours the sun is up in summertime!

Beans are easy, fast and fun for kids.  And, when you plant the purple kind it’s adds an element of excitement that will having them wanting to plant more.  Most of ours never make it to the pot since they are great raw!

Resources:

All New Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew

Royal Burgundy bean seeds available at www.reneesgarden.com  (I love all their seeds, both flower and vegetable. Orchard Supply also has them or you can order direct.

Enjoy! And please pin this article and share with friends.