Saving your own grown seed is a wonderful way to honor the whole life cycle of a plant and it's super fulfilling to swap seeds with your community!

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As we approach the end of the season, some of our beans might not be as tasty to eat fresh, or produce flowers for the pollinators but fear not, Charles explains how to save your beans to grow again next year or for storing to eat in stews or soups.

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A quick inspection of the Bean pod will give you lots of clues. Have they dried out? What colour are they? 

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It’s important to leave the Bean pods on the plant to mature and dry before picking them but not too long or the rain will get in! You can pop them on the windowsill to dry fully before storing in a sealed jar.

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Top Tip: Barlotti Beans are more impervious to rain than Runner Beans - if you want beans to eat, these are better as runners take longer to mature!

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