Storing dry beans

canesisters

Garden Master
Joined
Nov 16, 2011
Messages
5,684
Reaction score
7,459
Points
377
Location
Southeast VA
I'm growing rice peas this year in hopes of storing them dried for winter soup use.
If I let them stay on the plant till they are almost rattling in the pod, should I run them a day in the dehydrator? Or are they ok to put in the jar at that point?
What do y'all do to store dry beans?
20180718_202551.jpg
 

Ridgerunner

Garden Master
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
8,227
Reaction score
10,049
Points
397
Location
Southeast Louisiana Zone 9A
Cane, they are not dry enough to store straight off the plant. They still have enough moisture so they will mold if you try to store them in a closed jar. A dehydrator would dry them out enough, not sure how long it wold take. I'd use the lowest heat setting, probably about 95 F. If you want to use some for seeds next year, I don't think 95 F would harm germination. I don't think 95 would make them hard to cook, where I'd worry a bit about warmer temps for a long period. They may turn hard, not just dry.

When I store dried beans I let them set for a few weeks to make sure they are dry enough. I made some drying frames with 2x4's and window screen for large amounts and stir them every day or two to make sure they get good air circulation. For smaller amounts like growing them to save seeds for that bean network, I keep them in plastic coffee cans.

Those look good. Sometimes beans can have weevils in them that can eat them up even in a jar with a lid. If you put them in the freezer for about a week that should kill any weevils in them. Be careful you don't get condensation on them to get them wet again when you take them out.

If your freezer is not one of those self-defrosting ones that warm up and cool off yo can store them in there full time and not worry about them germinating for several years. I'm not sure how much freezing and thawing would hurt germination but it can't be good. If you are not worried about planting them you can just leave them in any freezer.
 

aftermidnight

Garden Addicted
Joined
Jun 5, 2014
Messages
2,182
Reaction score
4,016
Points
297
Location
Vancouver Island B.C. Canada
@canesisters No need for using a dehydrator, I leave mine to dry on the vine or as close to brittle dry as I can. After shelling I leave them in open baskets for a month or two just to make sure they are thoroughly dry before packaging up. The ones I'm not going to use in the next year go in the freezer in glass jars. The few I plan to cook are in a jar in the kitchen.
DSCN3800.JPG

Annette
 

flowerbug

Garden Master
Joined
Oct 15, 2017
Messages
15,878
Reaction score
23,771
Points
417
Location
mid-Michigan, USoA
purty beans! love yas posting such morsels this time of the season for me. :)

yes, agree with @Ridgerunner, just let 'em sit out for a few weeks to finish in a dry place out of the sun.

i can't usually leave things on the vine long around here and the pods will start getting fungi on the outside and eventually some of them will get inside and affect some of the seeds.
 

canesisters

Garden Master
Joined
Nov 16, 2011
Messages
5,684
Reaction score
7,459
Points
377
Location
Southeast VA
Thanks yall. There are SEVERAL that are ready to pick. I'll get those inside ASAP since we seem to be suddenly back into a 'rain every day' cycle. I'd hate for them to mildew or something.
Might run a day in the dehydrator anyway since they've been rained on twice since I posted this. :rolleyes:
 

flowerbug

Garden Master
Joined
Oct 15, 2017
Messages
15,878
Reaction score
23,771
Points
417
Location
mid-Michigan, USoA
Thanks yall. There are SEVERAL that are ready to pick. I'll get those inside ASAP since we seem to be suddenly back into a 'rain every day' cycle. I'd hate for them to mildew or something.
Might run a day in the dehydrator anyway since they've been rained on twice since I posted this. :rolleyes:

sometimes i'm very surprised by how the beans inside the pod are not affected by what is on the outside. you look at a pod and say to yourself, "oh, well those aren't any good." but sometimes they're just fine. mildew on the outside isn't too likely the biggest problem i've had here.

white mold can be a real problem though and is one reason why i have to pick through because once a plant is done and died back if i don't get the pods out of there it is a good chance that as they get smothered by neighboring plants that white mold may show up too. which can be a PITA as it spreads and can affect nearby healthy plants and turn them into a mess too.

this is also why i want many more acres of land. so i can plant more things in larger blocks so they finish together and i don't have to go through and play hunt the done bean smothered by neighboring plants game. or just to have enough space so that single plants can be isolated from the others around it. though i do like the shade casting and keeping the weeds down a heavier and closer planting provideds... always sumpthin... :) :) :)
 

Latest posts

Top