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Growing organic black beans in Veneta, Oregon
(17 miles west of Eugene, Southern Willamette Valley, Western Oregon)   October, 2009b

Allen Dong, I-Tech, PO Box 413, Veneta, OR 97487, USA          www.efn.org/~itech/
Public domain, no copyright --a gift to humanity

  1. planting date:  May 1-31, (typically May 12-20).  Early plantings have longer growing season, potentially higher yield, less irrigation required, more weeds and greater risk of spring frost damage.  Late plantings allow more weeds to emerge and be tilled prior to planting, but shorter growing season.  
  2. crop rotation: 
  3. Fertilizer input: lime, potassium, phosphorus, sulfur and boron.  Suspected boron deficiency symptoms were observed (Figure 1 and 2).  "Root growth greatly retarded with dark colored, corky areas" (Pscheidt, J W, Ocamb, CM.   2008 Pacific Northwest Plant Disease Management Handbook, Key to Nutrient Deficiencies in Vegetable Crops).  As a consequence of poor root development, lack of secondary roots and absence of rhizobia inoculation, boron deficiency appears as yellowing of older leaves (similar to nitrogen deficiency) or irregular shaped leaves with wide midribs (similar to boron deficiency on apple).  
  4. Major weeds encountered at Veneta:  
  5. Weed control: flex tine cultivator, Figure 4 (design available at http://efn.org/~itech/), rotary hoe (Figure 5) and sweeps (Figure 6) are synergistic.  The flex tine cultivator and rotary hoe remove weeds in the plant row and between the plant row when bean plants are short, <6 inches.  Sweeps remove everything in its path but can not be used in the plant row.  Mechanical cultivation is more effective in sunny and windy conditions.  Variations of the following mechanical cultivation procedure were used on 14 acres of black beans for 5 years, 2005 to 2009, and successfully suppressed weeds, but not a complete elimination.   
  6. Irrigation: first irrigation is in late June; no irrigation needed to germinate beans.  
  7. Harvest: Allis Chalmers All-Crop combine can harvest the beans directly off the plants, without knifing and windrowing the beans prior to combining.  To minimize bean splits during combining, reduce the combine cylinder speed (~400-500 rpm) and use 1 concave bar (remove the second concave bar).  Beans have indeterminate flowering, some pods are ready to harvest while late flowering pods are green.  Depending on weather, there is a 10-20% loss from lodging, pod shattering, bean splits; additional loss from inclement weather.  
  8. Weather (rain) is a limiting factor in growing dry beans in western Oregon; affecting planting, early weed control, harvest and post harvest drying.  Mature bean pods can tolerate 4-8 days of light rain; however the plant sags lower to the ground, making it difficult to harvest, increases diseases as well as weed re-growth.  It almost always rain at least once during a 10 day harvest period in Veneta, Oregon.   Equipments must be in good condition, ready to go and be ready to dodge the rain.  Preventative maintenance is better than emergency repair; if it is not broken, fix it anyway. 
  9. Post harvest drying.  It almost always rain at least once during post harvest drying.  Assume that fog will form at night during part of the drying period.   Moisture condensation on beans in the drying bins (Figure 6 and 7) can occur if the blower circulates cold nighttime air, chills the bean temperature down then blow warm daytime humid air on cold beans.  Wet beans and weeds will mold.   Use an electric timer to switch off cold air circulating through the drying bin at night during high humidity conditions.
  10. Seed cleaning:  Screens are a 21/64 inch diameter round hole at the top to remove large pods and dirt; an intermediate screen with 12/64 x ¾ inch slotted (oval) holes; bottom screen is 10/64 x ¾ inch slotted (oval) holes to remove split beans, small stems etc.  Beans are winnowed following screen cleaning (electric winnower design available at http://efn.org/~itech/ ).  Winnowing will remove some split beans, but the slotted screen is more effective. 
  11. Black beans will cross pollinate with pinto, kidney and other common beans (Ashworth, S 1991. Seed to Seed.  Seed Savers Exchange, Decorah, Iowa).  Experience from Veneta: seeds from cross pollinated black and pinto bean produce black speckled beans with tan background color; cross pollinated black and kidney bean is intermediate color, size and shaped bean.  
  12. Pinto bean has higher yield because of its vine growth habit, but more difficult to harvest directly off the vine (not a problem if bean plants are knifed and windrowed before combining).  Kidney bean is easier to clean because its large size is significantly different from weed seeds and pods.  Dark colored beans (black, pinto) hide cosmetic blemishes better than light colored beans; not a problem if beans are polished to remove blemishes.  Soybean is the easier to grow because its strong upright stalk will support pods off the ground and shed rain better than common beans.



Suspected boron deficiency
Fig. 1 Left healthy roots. Right boron deficient root
Figure 1.  Left: Healthy bean roots, white internal flesh and secondary root growth.  Right: suspected boron deficiency: internal brown cork and lack secondary root growth.  


Fig. 2 Close up of boron deficient roots
Figure 2. Close up of suspected boron deficient roots.  Roots are sliced open to show internal brown corks and lesions.


Mechanical cultivators
Fig. 3 Flex tine cultivator 
Figure 3. Flex tine cultivator

Fig. 4 Rotary hoe
Figure 4. Rotary hoe

Fig. 5 Sweeps and mini disks
Figure 5. Sweeps and mini disks



Post harvest drying
Fig. 6 Grain drying bins and blower
Figure 6. Grain drying bins, made from 4ft x 4 ft totes, connected to a blower.


Fig. 7 Grain drying bin, top view
Figure 7. Top view of a grain drying bin, showing poly shade cloth (partly removed), 1 x 1 inch wire mesh screen, 2 x 2 inch wood support for wire screen and sheet metal air diffuser.