[mickwood]

OK...1st year at growing ANYTHING! but so far I've got tomatoes, doing well I think; already made it onto some of my cheese sandwiches   chillies, bell peppers, yellow peppers, cheyenne peppers, basil, Aubergines, just sown some carrots, grape vine planted and Soya beans!

and it's about the last one I've got a question about...

I've transplanted them outside, into a raised border and I have about 6-8 pods so far on each plant (11 plants in total) even though they're only about 2 foot high - supposed to reach 6 foot? I decided to put canes in and tie them up but....now what? does anyone have any experience in growing these plants? I believe they're 'Ustie' variety of soya beans, specifically for the UK climate but I don't know if I should just leave them to grow now or if any intervention on my part is needed?

All advice welcome!!  

[Trillium]

I'm not familiar with your variety, but I know in the Southern USA, where it's very hot for many months and they can grow taller varieties, they have nothing that is 6 ft high in soya beans. If they get 3 ft high, that's big. In Canada, where our summers are warmer than the UK, we grow only a 1 ft tall variety so it can ripen before our fall frosts.  

Soya beans don't normally need intervention to grow. Adequate water is always good.

[mickwood]

Thanks trillium, that's really interesting. I believe the Ustie variety are fairly new and  was told 6 foot but if they're supposed to be about 3 foot they may well be as high as they're gonna get? Do they fill out at all? Is it just a case of letting them do their stuff until the pods are bigger and ready? I believe they are ready once the leaves drop and only the pods remain...is this true?



A little pic of one of the pods so far...

[Trillium]

As long as the weather is agreeable, the pods will fill out on their own. When the plant dries out and browns is when soya beans are harvested here. These are storage soya beans. If you want fresh beans, you'll have to watch for them to fill out and then pick. The harvest is not large per plant, which is why they're usually packed in for field growth, perhaps an inch apart. Are you trying for endamame beans?

[mickwood]

Not sure what I'm trying for really? Endamame beans...salted, young, soya bean pods right? Chinese snack/starter? Wasn't particularly thinking about them but I was interested in fresh beans or even trying my hand at making some tofu?

Sounds like the info I have on these beans may be wrong? I was told to plant them 6-8 inches apart and they'll grow to 6 foot...not thinking that's what will happen. The plants are quite thin so I tend to think your right in that they could have been bunched up to 1 to 2 inch apart, allowing me to grow something else in the bed!  :?

adequate water...not a problem in the uk!  

ah well, they seem to be OK - only time will tell!