Drying Beans?

**tomatoaddict** · October 12, 2009

So....my question is: If your pole beans have not finished drying outside, what is the best way to finish drying them? Should I shell them and then dry or finish drying them indoors in the pods?

(This is for seed)

**tomatoaddict** · October 12, 2009

just bumping this back to the top!!

mjc · October 12, 2009

Have they started to dry?

Pods are turning brown and shriveling?

Yeah, you can bring them in to finish.

beeman · October 12, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomatoaddict

Should I shell them and then dry or finish drying them indoors in the pods?

(This is for seed)

I always shell them out, place on paper towel or similar and allow them to air dry.
Don't be in a hurry to package them as slightly damp will bring out the moulds. I know from experience, one year I lost the lot.
You might consider a few minutes soak in Hydrogen Peroxide 3%, then a few rinses in water, pat dry, then lay out. Will help disinfect the seed.

rxkeith · October 12, 2009

either way should work,

however, if you are having extremely wet weather and the pods are at the thin leathery stage, i would shuck them and let them air dry outside the pods. i think the damp weather is making some of my beans split their seed coats. mold is also a potential problem. if weather isn't an issue, the seeds can dry inside the pods. lay them out in front of a sunny window to speed the process. turn them every now and then.

keith

mjc · October 12, 2009

After shelling them out, use bleach if concerned about mold/disease...and freeze them (when completely dry) for between three and five days to kill the weevil eggs.

Ruth_10 · October 13, 2009

If you're going to have a lot of rain and/or a freeze and they're not dry yet, I'd shell them and let them dry inside. They should dry to the point of shattering when you whomp them with a hammer. Then (as mentioned above) put them in the freezer for a few days.

October 12, 2009	#1
tomatoaddict Moderator Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: zone 5 Posts: 1,459	Drying Beans? So....my question is: If your pole beans have not finished drying outside, what is the best way to finish drying them? Should I shell them and then dry or finish drying them indoors in the pods? (This is for seed) __________________ Secretseedcartel.com

October 12, 2009	#2
tomatoaddict Moderator Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: zone 5 Posts: 1,459	just bumping this back to the top!! __________________ Secretseedcartel.com

October 13, 2009	#7
Ruth_10 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MO z6a near St. Louis Posts: 1,349	If you're going to have a lot of rain and/or a freeze and they're not dry yet, I'd shell them and let them dry inside. They should dry to the point of shattering when you whomp them with a hammer. Then (as mentioned above) put them in the freezer for a few days. __________________ --Ruth Some say the glass half-full. Others say the glass is half-empty. To an engineer, it’s twice as big as it needs to be.

October 12, 2009	#3
mjc Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: WV Posts: 603	Have they started to dry? Pods are turning brown and shriveling? Yeah, you can bring them in to finish.

October 12, 2009	#5
rxkeith Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Back in da U.P. Posts: 1,846	either way should work, however, if you are having extremely wet weather and the pods are at the thin leathery stage, i would shuck them and let them air dry outside the pods. i think the damp weather is making some of my beans split their seed coats. mold is also a potential problem. if weather isn't an issue, the seeds can dry inside the pods. lay them out in front of a sunny window to speed the process. turn them every now and then. keith