Kitchen Garden Forum

Anyone grown soya beans?

Mine just haven't germinated - had a dug about in a couple of the module trays and the seeds have either disappeared or rotted. Other pea things are happy as larry.

Soya beans are not really suited to the British climate so you'll struggle to get anything. There is a variety supposed to be able to grow here but I've heard that it's very temperamental and most people seem to have poor results.

There are plenty of other types of beans which are quite happy with our weather and just as good for you so why not grow them.

Hi Trixie

I haven't grown soya beans and probably never will. My "bible" for oriental vegetables (Joy Larckom, Oriental Vegetables) offers this information:

TEMPERATURE REQUIREMENTS
Soya has different temperature requirements at different stages, the highest temperature being needed at the flowering stage. As a rough guide, the following temperature are considered "sufficient". Optimum temperatures would be about 5 degrees higher, but some growth will take place at somewhat lower temperatures.
Germination 53-57F (12-14C)
Flowering 66F (19C)
Seeds maturing 55-61F (13-16C)

Pants!!!

I wanted to grow them because I love them and you just don't get them in shops over here - along with all legumes and have a rather ridiculous variety.

I'll give the rest of the packet a go and see what happens.

If you love them might be worth a try as prices are set to soar as the South American crops have failed due to the weather over there.

Good Luck - let us know the outcome. I'm still thinking of a good ploy to keep the mice off my chickpeas this year - the adder doesn't seem to deter them!

Westi