Mung Bean

Mung Bean — variety description

Mung Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) is an annual vegetable of the Legume family (Fabaceae). Mung Bean produces the most widely consumed sprouts in the world.

Grow indoors on damp paper towels to produce sprouts used in many Chinese recipes.

These super-fast crops are full of surprising and intriguing flavours that will captivate your taste buds.

They are a good source of fibre, vitamins A, B, C and E, and minerals (calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium).

Do NOT expose them to light, as they develop a bitter taste!

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: 94%
• Seeds per packet: 85–115 pcs (5 g)
• Seed origin: Poland
• Sowing: April and May; direct
• Harvest: July and August
• Position: sunny spot

When to sow Mung Bean

Mung Bean 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 Mung Bean

• 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

Ready to eat after 6 to 9 days at a size of about 2.5-4 cm . Sowing is done indoors only. Use a tray or shallow bowl and cover the bottom with a layer of well-moistened cotton wool. Wash the beans and soak them overnight in cold water. The next day, rinse the beans again with cold water and then spread them out evenly. Cover with polythene or film and, since it is important to exclude light, cover again with brown paper or newspaper. Remove the sprouts from the beans by rinsing them thoroughly. Cook for only 2 minutes in salted water. Do NOT expose them to light, as they develop a bitter taste!

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 Mung Bean be sown?

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

How many seeds are in the packet?

The packet contains 85–115 seeds, pack size 5 g.

What is the germination rate of the seeds?

The measured germination rate of this batch is 94%. 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.