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Soybean Culture: (see bush beans) Wait until soil has warmed to at least 65°F, seeds wont germinate in cold soil. Plant beans in mid-Atlantic area between May 1 and July 1 (optimal is May 15-June 15). Succession plant for an extended harvest. Sow seeds 1 deep, 3-6 apart in rows 15-36 apart. For small plants but larger yields, plant close together; for large plants but smaller yields, plant further apart. Harvest: pick fresh pods when 80-90% filled out and bright green. If pods turn yellow much of the quality will be lost. Beans reach their maximum sweetness a month after flowering. Cooking: boil fresh seeds for at least a minute to improve digestion. Cook seeds in pod, then shell after cooking. (Pods are inedible.) Seeds freeze well if blanched. Seed Saving: Isolate varieties a minimum of 25 for home use, 100 for commercial production.
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