I bought some cheapie bean starts from the grocery store this spring, I was complaining that nothing was happening, then the long bean emerged. Now Ive got a crop of hilariously long beans. I tried this one and maybe it wasn’t ready yet as there was a sort of paste in-between the beans pods and nothing was really defined. Edible but not enjoyable.
Anyone have long bean experience?
So that’s a Chinese yard long bean or also called an Asparagus bean. You generally want to harvest them at 12-16 inches long and about the diameter of a pencil, although I’ve definitely eaten them when I let them go longer. Generally taste just as good but they get a little tougher.
Definitely want to cook them in the shell, I normally cut them into manageable bits and then use them in stir fry or like green beans.
Your variety is probably Chinese Red Noodle Asparagus (Yardlong) Bean based on the picture.
https://www.southernexposure.com/bean-growing-guide/#asparagus