When to Harvest Dragon Tongue Beans for Maximum Flavor and Yield

With their flashy purple-streaked pods, dragon tongue beans make a stunning addition to any vegetable garden. Determining the perfect time to harvest ensures you capture these beans at peak flavor and texture.

Dragon tongue is an heirloom snap bean, which means pods are edible fresh off the vine. Follow some key indicators to identify when dragon tongues are ripe and ready for picking.

Overview of Dragon Tongue Beans

• Dragon tongue is a bush-type green bean that matures quickly in 55-60 days

• Plants reach 2 to 2 1/2 feet tall and wide, producing long, flattened pods.

• Raw pods emerge pale green and develop vivid purple stripes when mature.

• Each pod contains 4-6 beans streaked with pink or purple.

• Beans have a sweet, nutty taste and creamy texture perfect for eating fresh.

• With extra time on the vine, pods can also be used as shelling or dried beans.

Knowing the growth habits and physical characteristics of this variety helps determine optimal harvest times.

Harvest Stage 1: Snapping Beans (55-60 Days)

For use as snap beans:

• Begin checking plants daily once flowers start fading after blooming.

• Look for young, slender pods around 3-5 inches long.

• Harvest pods that have developed purple striping on cream or pale green skin.

• Beans should snap crisply when bent. Pods feel firm but plump, not bulging with seeds.

• Use scissors or break pods off by hand to avoid damaging plants.

• Pick every 2-3 days to encourage further pod production.

Picked at this young stage, dragon tongue pods are flavorful, stringless, and perfect for sautéing or steaming.

Harvest Stage 2: Green Shelling Beans (60-70 Days)

For use as green shelling beans:

• Allow pods on plants to size up, reaching 5-8 inches in length.

• Harvest when the purple striping darkens and beans inside fill out pod.

• Beans will be plump and nearly full grown, but not dried out.

• Open pods and remove beans for fresh use without cooking pods.

• Store unshelled beans in refrigerator up to 1 week.

Once seeds start enlarging inside, pods become fibrous so green shelling captures plump beans.

Harvest Stage 3: Dry Shelling Beans (70-90 Days)

For use as dry shelling beans:

• Leave pods on plants until fully mature and beans harden.

• Pods turn brown and crispy while beans solidify and stripes get very dark.

• Allow pods to dry thoroughly on plants before picking.

• Pull up entire plants and hang indoors or pick individual pods.

• Remove shells, then spread beans in a single layer to finish drying.

Dry shelling produces beans for storage and requires extended vine drying before shelling.

What Color are Dragon Tongue Pods When Ready to Pick?

• Immature pods are pale green, cream, or yellowish.

• Purple, red, or pink striping develops on pods as beans mature inside.

• Ideal snap bean stage shows vivid streaks on lighter green pods.

• Leave pods on plants until stripes become very dark for shelling use.

• Fully dried pods for shelling turn completely brown.

Following the color changes in pods indicates the stage of maturity for harvesting.

How Long Do Dragon Tongue Bean Plants Produce?

• Beans grow rapidly and first mature pods develop just 55-60 days after planting.

• With adequate care, plants continue flowering and setting new pods for 2-3 weeks.

• Harvesting pods frequently encourages prolonged productivity.

• Higher temperatures shorten the harvest period while cooler conditions extend it.

• Protect plants from frost to maximize the yield over time.

Expect 1-2 months of harvests with proper care and ideal growing conditions.

How Many Pods Do Dragon Tongue Bean Plants Produce?

• Mature dragon tongue plants yield 15-25 pods per plant.

• Bush habit keeps the plants relatively compact at 2-2 1/2 feet tall and wide.

• Each pod contains an average of 4-6 beans.

• Actual yields depend on soil quality, sunlight, and moisture.

With ideal conditions, expect heavy yields from just a few plants.

What Causes Dragon Tongue Flowers to Fall Off Without Producing Pods?

Some potential reasons for low pod set include:

• Night temperatures exceeding 75°F can prevent pollination.

• Hot days over 90°F or cold nights under 55°F cause flowers to abort.

• Too much nitrogen fertilizer encourages foliage over flowers.

• Insufficient watering causes flowers and pods to drop.

• Lack of pollinating insects results in poor fertilization.

Ensuring optimal growing conditions prevents flower and pod loss.

How Should You Store Fresh Dragon Tongue Beans?

• Refrigerate freshly picked snap bean pods in perforated plastic bags up to 5-7 days.

• For green shelling beans, store unshelled beans in bags in the refrigerator up to one week.

• Keep beans in the hydrator drawer to maintain humidity and prevent shriveling.

• Cooked beans freeze well for extended storage.

Proper storage retains texture and flavor of fresh dragon tongue beans.

With its quick growth and high yields, dragon tongue is a satisfying bean to add to any garden. Paying close attention to pod color and plant signals will help you harvest at the perfect phase for your planned use. Maintain diligent care as pods ripen to fully enjoy the brilliant streaked pods of this flashy heirloom bean.