Sorry if this is in the wrong section. Soybeans are legumes but I figure veggies would be close enough!
I make a lot of my own products (I'm green & natural) & one of the things I make is soymilk (w/ a soymilk maker). I'm in Michigan & there are soybean farms in this state so it can be grown but I haven't a clue where to begin. Anybody grow soybeans? I grew up w/ a garden & we have our own now but legumes are different. Any tips would be appreciated. Thank you!
Reina
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ReinaRoelle
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- Location: MI
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ReinaRoelle
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- Posts: 9
- Joined: Wed Jul 09, 2008 6:34 pm
- Location: MI
I don't make tofu tho soymilk makers usually have recipes. We had a SoyaJoy maker but it died after a year. Seems it should have lasted longer. Now I got a Soyabella maker. We got it 'cos it's supposed to do grind nuts as well. I make my own PB too! You need a coagulator for making tofu so that is why I haven't bothered yet. Not sure what it is or where to get it from.
If you drink a lot of soymilk, it's best in the long run to get a maker. Plus it saves on packaging. I'm green & our facility cannot recycle waxed cardboard that they come in. Soybeans are $1/# tho I really prefer almond milk but it's $6/#. Humans are the only creatures who drink another creature’s milk. & we are the only creatures who CONTINUE to drink milk later in life. Cow’s milk is not good for you. All the antibiotics, pesticides, HGH’s in them. WE ingest those too. Look around at all the antibiotic-resistant strains of viruses out there.
Do you drink soymilk?
For the original topic here, I'm gonna keep looking around & see if I can talk to local people. Sometimes tho, they just aren't willing to give up 'trade secrets'.
Reina
If you drink a lot of soymilk, it's best in the long run to get a maker. Plus it saves on packaging. I'm green & our facility cannot recycle waxed cardboard that they come in. Soybeans are $1/# tho I really prefer almond milk but it's $6/#. Humans are the only creatures who drink another creature’s milk. & we are the only creatures who CONTINUE to drink milk later in life. Cow’s milk is not good for you. All the antibiotics, pesticides, HGH’s in them. WE ingest those too. Look around at all the antibiotic-resistant strains of viruses out there.
Do you drink soymilk?
For the original topic here, I'm gonna keep looking around & see if I can talk to local people. Sometimes tho, they just aren't willing to give up 'trade secrets'.
Reina
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applestar
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- Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)
I planted all my kids' favorites in the veggie garden this year, and one of them is Edamame (green soybeans). I've seen soybean seeds sold in catalogs as Edamame variety, but I just tried sowing dry organic soybeans I had in the fridge since last fall. I planted them between broccoli and also along the sunny side of hills of corn. Much to my surprise, practically every single bean sprouted, and they are forming bean pods now. I don't know if there is any trick to it -- there doesn't seem to be any 
My best guess is to treat them like bush beans and give them at least 12" spacing. I just sowed some more, hoping I have enough time before frost -- they seem to have a pretty long maturing date (just checked my records, I sowed the ones that are producing pods on May 25, and the green pods are just starting to swell). You're going to want to harvest dry beans so that'll take a little longer.
Here's a website that might be helpful: [url=https://weedsoft.unl.edu/documents/GrowthStagesModule/Soybean/Soy.htm]Soybean Growth Stages[/url]
Edited to add: Protect them from bunnies with at least 24"H fence. They love beans and will eat them to the ground.
My best guess is to treat them like bush beans and give them at least 12" spacing. I just sowed some more, hoping I have enough time before frost -- they seem to have a pretty long maturing date (just checked my records, I sowed the ones that are producing pods on May 25, and the green pods are just starting to swell). You're going to want to harvest dry beans so that'll take a little longer.
Here's a website that might be helpful: [url=https://weedsoft.unl.edu/documents/GrowthStagesModule/Soybean/Soy.htm]Soybean Growth Stages[/url]
Edited to add: Protect them from bunnies with at least 24"H fence. They love beans and will eat them to the ground.
I logged on when I got home from a frustrating round of errands (time to put in fall seeds for starts; "We're out of XYZ plants/seeds")...
I say this because I *really* understand the desire to be self-reliant and to ensure the purity of one's own food source. HOWEVER, it can become very time-consuming to the point of robbing you of sleep--if you also have a full-time job--so, if the soy doesn't work out, please don't get down on yourself.
OK.
I looked at the seed catalogues I have on hand. Not loads of them, but maybe six or seven.
From Stokes: "Sow about the same time as you would lima beans (June 1st-15th) depending on your latitude. For far northern climates start seeds indoors in 2.25 in/6 cm peat pots. May 1st-15th. Transplant outdoors after danger of frost 5-8 in/13-20 cm apart in rows 24 in/60 cm apart. Harvest green pods like limas for cooking. Roast dried beans like peanuts. High protein value without cholesterol buildup. Average protein value is twice that of lima beans (16% picked fresh or 40% used dry). Plant fresh seed each spring for best germination."
John Jeavons (How to Grow More Vegetables) recommends spacing soybeans at 4", 6", 9", or 12" intervals on his equidistant hexagonal spacing. 6" recommended. This is for use ONLY in the GrowBiointensive method.
From Territorial Seed Company: "Edamame soybeans are best sown directly into the soil when temperatures reach 65 deg F. Sow seeds 4 inches apart and 1 inch deep in moist soil. Days to emergence: 7-10. Plants do not need to be staked or trellised. Refer to bush bean culture box for fertilization, disease, and insect information....The harvesting period for edamames is very short, so check often for mature pods. Harvest when the pods are plump and the beans are almost touching each other in the pod. Once the pods turn yellow, the beans become starchy and lose their sweet, nutty flavor. In Japan, edamame soybeans are traditionally prepared by boiling the pods in salt water and the beans are then squeezed from the inedible pod directly into the mouth."
Seed Savers Exchange. No culture tips in catalogue, but four varieties are offered: Agate, Envy, Fiskeby, and Shirofumi.
My other catalogues either didn't offer soybeans or didn't give any info.
Happy gardening.
Cynthia H.
USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 17
I say this because I *really* understand the desire to be self-reliant and to ensure the purity of one's own food source. HOWEVER, it can become very time-consuming to the point of robbing you of sleep--if you also have a full-time job--so, if the soy doesn't work out, please don't get down on yourself.
OK.
I looked at the seed catalogues I have on hand. Not loads of them, but maybe six or seven.
From Stokes: "Sow about the same time as you would lima beans (June 1st-15th) depending on your latitude. For far northern climates start seeds indoors in 2.25 in/6 cm peat pots. May 1st-15th. Transplant outdoors after danger of frost 5-8 in/13-20 cm apart in rows 24 in/60 cm apart. Harvest green pods like limas for cooking. Roast dried beans like peanuts. High protein value without cholesterol buildup. Average protein value is twice that of lima beans (16% picked fresh or 40% used dry). Plant fresh seed each spring for best germination."
John Jeavons (How to Grow More Vegetables) recommends spacing soybeans at 4", 6", 9", or 12" intervals on his equidistant hexagonal spacing. 6" recommended. This is for use ONLY in the GrowBiointensive method.
From Territorial Seed Company: "Edamame soybeans are best sown directly into the soil when temperatures reach 65 deg F. Sow seeds 4 inches apart and 1 inch deep in moist soil. Days to emergence: 7-10. Plants do not need to be staked or trellised. Refer to bush bean culture box for fertilization, disease, and insect information....The harvesting period for edamames is very short, so check often for mature pods. Harvest when the pods are plump and the beans are almost touching each other in the pod. Once the pods turn yellow, the beans become starchy and lose their sweet, nutty flavor. In Japan, edamame soybeans are traditionally prepared by boiling the pods in salt water and the beans are then squeezed from the inedible pod directly into the mouth."
Seed Savers Exchange. No culture tips in catalogue, but four varieties are offered: Agate, Envy, Fiskeby, and Shirofumi.
My other catalogues either didn't offer soybeans or didn't give any info.
Happy gardening.
Cynthia H.
USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 17
I'm zone 5 and I've grown soybeans in my veggie garden for the past few years. I treat them just like bush beans making certain that the soil is warm before sowing directly in the garden. The more you pick, the more they pod, so stay on top of them once they start going. They seem to stay around 18" tall.
I haven't had any pest problems until this year. Have had to pick off several Japanese Beetles. But those buggers eat everything so I doubt it's the soybeans! Shelling them is time consuming to do by hand. If you're going to be shelling any volume you might look into some sort of tool to help it go faster.
Good luck!
My seeds are usually from either Territorial Seed or Vermont Bean. HTH!
I haven't had any pest problems until this year. Have had to pick off several Japanese Beetles. But those buggers eat everything so I doubt it's the soybeans! Shelling them is time consuming to do by hand. If you're going to be shelling any volume you might look into some sort of tool to help it go faster.
Good luck!
My seeds are usually from either Territorial Seed or Vermont Bean. HTH!
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ReinaRoelle
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- Location: MI
Thanks for all the replies & valuable info. I'm copy/ pasting it for next year. We don't have a big garden; just things we eat the most of. I won't plant I.e. corn or beans 'cos my parents have tons of it they plant. I don't mind doing a lot of trial & error. I rather try to grow my own food esp. w/ all the recalls that are happening.
Reina
Reina