French Bean Merveille de Piemonte

French Bean Merveille de Piemonte: variety and characteristics

French Bean Merveille de Piemonte (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is an annual vegetable of the Legume family (Fabaceae). A charming variety with cream-yellow pods flecked with dark purple spots.

When fully ripe, the spots on the beans take on a deeper red colour, and the seeds inside can be shelled and used fresh or left in their pods to be used dried.

You can dry the beans to store them, or cook them soon after harvest.

Beans are a good source of vitamin C, folate and iron and are high in fibre.

French beans are easy, quick and very productive — about 55–65 days pass from sowing to first harvest. Dwarf varieties need no support, while climbing ones cover fences and crop for longer.

Key features

• Measured germination rate of the batch: 89%
• Pack size: 10 g
• Seed origin: China
• Sowing: April and May; direct
• Harvest: July and August
• Position: sunny spot

When to sow French Bean Merveille de Piemonte

French Bean Merveille de Piemonte seeds are sown in April and May. The crop is harvested in July and August. The months are a guide for a temperate climate — in warmer areas sow 1–2 weeks earlier, in cooler or upland areas, later.

How to sow and grow French Bean Merveille de Piemonte

• Sowing method: direct
• Depth: 3–4 cm
• Spacing: 8–10 cm in the row, 40–50 cm between rows (dwarf); 20–25 cm with support (climbing)
• Germination: 6–10 days at 18–25 °C
• Position: sunny spot

Early sowings can be made in a greenhouse at a temperature of 16°C, sowing 3 seeds per 8 cm pot filled with seed compost. Outdoor sowings can be made from May onwards in the growing position at a depth of 5 cm. Sow 2-3 seeds every 20-30 cm. apart, with rows 60 cm apart. apart. The plants are hungry, so the soil should be well prepared and fertilised the previous autumn. Use well-drained, warm soil in full sun. Seedlings sown indoors should be hardened off gradually before planting out in late May at the spacing above, once all risk of frost has passed.

Sow directly when the soil is above 12 °C — in cold soil the seeds rot. Do not feed with nitrogen: beans supply their own. Water during flowering and pod set.

Harvest and use

Pick the pods young and crisp, every 2–3 days — this encourages the plant to set new ones.

Frequently asked questions

When should French Bean Merveille de Piemonte be sown?

The recommended sowing months are April and May. Sowing method: direct.

What is the germination rate of the seeds?

The measured germination rate of this batch is 89%. The test was carried out under controlled laboratory conditions; in the field, emergence depends on soil, temperature and moisture.

When are beans sown?

Directly outdoors from late April to July, once the soil has warmed up. For a long harvest, sow in 2–3 batches every 3 weeks.

Do beans need to be soaked before sowing?

Not necessarily; a short soak (2–4 hours) speeds up germination, but a longer one can crack the seeds.