Seeds, Beans Royal Burgundy (West Coast Seeds)

Round, stringless, dark purple pods grow 15cm (6”) long and are held off the ground by strong, upright plants.

The richly flavoured pods turn green after cooking, which is helpful when blanching for freezing. Royal Burgundy bush bean seeds are buff coloured. The bushes are vigorous with erect growth and reach 38-52cm (15-20") in height. Royal Burgundy is resistant to bean beetles, and was developed at the University of New Hampshire. It grows extremely well in coastal gardens and areas that cool down at night.

Timing
Direct sow from mid-spring to early summer. Try to plant during a warm, dry spell. Soil must be warm – if it is not warm enough, the seeds may rot, especially our untreated seeds. Optimal soil temperature for germination: 21-32°C (70-90°F). The seeds should sprout in 8-16 days, depending on conditions.

Starting
Sow seeds 2-5cm (1-2″) deep, 5-8cm (2-3″) apart, in rows 45-60cm (18-24″) apart. Thin to at least 15cm (6″) apart in each row. If the weather is too wet, beans can also be started in pots indoors and set out carefully a few weeks later. For a continuous harvest, plant at 3 week intervals.

Companion Planting
Beans fix nitrogen in the soil. Plant with beets, Brassicas, carrots, celery, chard, corn, cucumber, eggplant, peas, potatoes, radish, and strawberries. Avoid planting near chives, garlic, leeks, and onions.