Black Beans

We eat black beans like they are going out of style in this house.  So I thought why not see if I can take a few of my dried black beans and get them to grow.  So, I took a few dried beans out of the closet, soaked them overnight, and planted them in shallow egg crate planters.  The beans have been in the planters for 12 days now, germination is usually 10-14 days after planting.  My intention is to try to force grow the plants using a growing lamp this winter in a pot.  So far the beans have not yet germinated.

When growing black beans in the spring, you should sow the seeds into the ground directly after the danger of frost has passed.  This method is recommended over starting seeds inside, because black beans don't take well to being transplanted.  It is also recommended that you add inoculant, an additive that is commonly added to legume plants to make the plants stronger and increase yield.

So why are black beans so great?  Here are just a few reasons:

• Studies have shown that women who eat beans or lentils twice a week are 25% less likely to develop breast cancer than women who just eat beans once a month.
• Beans and lentils are high in folate, which is helpful in reducing birth defects in babys
• There are a ton of different ways to prepare black beans (salsa, cooked, baked, etc.) and they're pretty much all easy to execute.

If in a few days my black beans still have not germinated, it'll be back to the drawing board.