Borloto beans
Borloto beans
There are many popular native and traditional bean cultivars, both low and climbing, to choose from. Most growers prefer fresh bean varieties that do not have fiber, as they are more pleasant to eat. We should note that the dry bean varieties have a harder shell and more fiber. Well-known varieties of fresh beans are chauli, terli, broad bean (black-eyed), broad bean (snake bean), mullets (beads), canary beans (yellow beans), bulgara (early mullet), zargana, climbing mullet, while in some regions we will meet other interesting local varieties. An excellent traditional variety of dry beans are the giants of Prespa. It is worth noting that the climbing bean varieties are much more productive than the low varieties, while at the same time they have a longer production period, although they take longer to enter production than the low ones.
Bean cultivation needs fertile soil, rich in organic matter and with good drainage to have good growth and fruiting. When preparing the soil for cultivation, we first plow the field to make the soil sufficiently loose, as it is necessary for the formation of a rich and strong root system of the bean. Then, before planting the bean, we incorporate enough compost, digested manure and organic manure to enrich the soil with organic matter and nutrients.
The bean is relatively demanding on water and needs regular watering to have a good and quality production. When planting the beans, avoid large amounts of water because the bean seed may rot and not germinate. During the flowering and fruiting period of the bean, sufficient water is required, not excess, as excessive watering can cause flower drop and failure to set fruit.
In no case do we leave the bean plants completely dormant “so that the fruits can set”, as old growers claim, because in this way the flower dries up and falls. Usually, we water the beans every two to three days in the spring and every 1-2 days in the summer to keep the soil relatively moist around the bean’s root. We prefer a drip irrigation system to have more efficient watering of the beans and to conserve water.