Yard-Long Bean Metro Nero

Yard-Long Bean Metro Nero: variety and characteristics

Yard-Long Bean Metro Nero (Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis) is an annual vegetable of the Legume family (Fabaceae). Yard-long bean, asparagus bean Metro Nero is a very popular bean in Italian cuisine, growing up to 90 cm long in ideal conditions with excellent flavour.

The seeds are used in a wide variety of ways – for soups, dishes, as flour, as sprouts, and the green beans are cooked as a vegetable (like green beans).

The yard-long bean (asparagus bean, “metre” bean) produces exceptionally long, tender pods – up to 50–80 cm. Excellent for braising, stir-frying and Asian cooking.

Key features

• Measured germination rate of the batch: 82%
• Seeds per packet: 51–69 pcs (10 g)
• Seed origin: Poland
• Sowing: April and May; direct
• Harvest: July and August
• Position: sunny spot

When to sow Yard-Long Bean Metro Nero

Yard-Long Bean Metro Nero 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 Yard-Long Bean Metro Nero

• Sowing method: direct
• Depth: 3 cm
• Spacing: 20–30 cm, with tall support
• Germination: 6–10 days at 20–25 °C
• Position: sunny spot

This bean cannot thrive in cold, wet or windy conditions and needs a warm, sheltered spot to give its best. Besides growing outdoors, the plant can also be grown in larger greenhouses. Sow the seeds indoors from February to April at a minimum germination temperature of 15°C. Start planting out in May, once all risk of frost has passed. Well-worked, freely draining, moist soil suits the plants best. Adding some well-rotted manure before planting will encourage the plants. Feeding every two weeks with a tomato-based liquid feed will help improve the crop. The plants are very vigorous and will need a strong support and plenty of moisture. Best picked when about 30 cm long. It is advisable not to pull the old spent plant out of the ground but to cut it off at soil level, so that the roots can release the large amounts of nitrogen they store underground as they rot.

Sow in well-warmed soil next to a support of at least 2 m. It loves a hot summer and moderate watering.

Harvest and use

Pick the pods before the beans form – that is when they are most tender.

Frequently asked questions

When should Yard-Long Bean Metro Nero be sown?

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

How many seeds are in the packet?

The packet contains 51–69 seeds, pack size 10 g.

What is the germination rate of the seeds?

The measured germination rate of this batch is 82%. The test was carried out under controlled laboratory conditions; in the field, emergence depends on soil, temperature and moisture.

How long do yard-long bean pods grow?

Depending on the variety – 40–80 cm; pick them at 35–50 cm while they are tender.