Bean – Red Tongue of Fire Bush Bean

Native to Tierra del Fuego in South America, the Tongue of Fire bean has a streaked husk of red and white colors. Like shelled peas, the soft, creamy seeds inside the pod are eaten. Boil and cool to eat in a cold salad, or simmer in a soup or stew (think cassoulet!). Shelled beans freeze well, raw.

Heirloom

One of the most fascinating heirloom beans. Begins with having young edible stringless pods transforming into large-sized beans with a pinkish-red flame pattern intensifying as the plant ages. Sizable beans have a creamy, mild flavor. Absorb added flavors well. They can be used fresh shelled, canned, frozen, or dried for later use. Originally collected from the tip of South America, Tierra del Fuego; then sent onward to Italy. 6-7” pods, bush type. (60 days green, 75 days shelled, days 95 dried)

Harvest: Leave beans on the plant until most of the leaves have turned brown and pods are dried and withered. If fall weather is wet or frost threatens the harvest, pull up the plants and finish drying indoors.

Growing Tips: Grow in light, well-drained soil, provide adequate, even moisture, especially at flowering time. Dry soil can result in low yields and fibrous pods. Do not over-fertilize with nitrogen which results in a surplus of foliage and low, delayed pod growth. Adding inoculant at planting time aids in a larger harvest and more robust plants.

Conditions of germination:

depth of sowing: 2.5 cm

optimal temperatures of germination: 18 to 29ºC

time for germination: 5 to 12 days

When to sow:

direct sowing after any risk of frost when the soil is warm (18ºC and above)

Sowing technique: in line

draw a line in the soil (in a pot or in the ground), then sow the seeds in it

Distance in the garden:

between plants: 15 cm

between rows: 60 cm

Height of the plants: 45 cm

Soil: rich and well drained

Exposure: full sun

Days to harvest (from sowing): 65 days for fresh beans and up to 95 days for dry beans

Specificity: The beans are ready to be harvested when they are 8 cm tall and the pod is still tinged with green or when it has started to dry on the plant and has turned beige-brown.

QUICK STATS

Number of seeds: ±50

Difficulty: Easy

Type: Heirloom / Open pollinated

Lifecycle:Annual

Additional information

Weight            25 g

Difficulty         

Easy

Sowing          

Direct

Lifecycle        

Annual

Root cellar     

No

Sowing season        

Spring, Summer