Quick Navigation

About Us

Education & Events

Ways to Give & Membership

Preservation

Shop

grow pathfinder

How to Grow Soybeans

In the US , soya bean are grown as a trade good harvest and primarily used for crude oil and animal feed . However , soybeans are also an excellent craw for home nurseryman , who can savour them in Asiatic inspired cuisines or more plainly as steamed edamame .

Time of Planting

plant life in early spring , as soon as ground can be worked .

Spacing Requirements

found the seeded player ½ inch cryptic 2 - 3 inches aside once the danger of frost has passed . Thin to 6″ in all guidance .

Common Pests and Diseases

soy can ache from powdery mildew , leaf blight , root rot , and other bacterial , fungal , and viral infection . Deer can also put significant pressure on soybean plants . Protect your bean from pests like cervid by using row cover song or fencing .

When and How to Harvest for Food Consumption

Soybeans can be harvested in the snap / green stagecoach or the dry stage . When soybeans are young and green , they are ready for harvest when the seed have formed but the pods are still tender . Dry Glycine max are ready for harvest home when the pods are dry and unannealed and the come inside are hard .

Eating

saucy soybeans can be lightly steamed in their pods and then relish as edamame . Fresh soybeans are also used in soups , stews , stir fries , and in homemade bean curd .

Storing

Fresh soybeans will store for over a week in the refrigerator . ironic soybeans have a shelf life of several old age .

How to Save Soybean Seeds

Life Cycle

one-year

When save up seeds from soya , freestanding varieties by at least 10 - 20 feet .

you could save seeds from soybean even if you only grow one plant . To keep a variety over time , save seeds from between 5 - 10 plants .

Assessing Seed Maturity

Harvest the soybean seeds when they are hard and their pod are dry and brittle .

Harvesting

If the soja pod are not completely teetotal before the first frost , pull the plants up and dry them further indoors .

Cleaning and Processing

When the soybean pods are completely dry , unwrap them heart-to-heart to release the seeds . On a small scurf , harvest material can be threshed by placing it into a sacking , on a tarpaulin , or into a storage container and gently tread on it . The sparse coats of soybeans are prostrate to fracture and the embryos are easy damaged , so be careful when cleaning seed .

Storage and Viability

Store soybean seeds in a cool , dark , and dry place and keep them in an airtight container to keep out wet and humidity . Under these condition , soybean ejaculate will remain viable for three to four years .

Learn more about storing seeds .

More to research

A bowl of shelled small green beans next to a bowl of green bean pods

3094 North Winn RoadDecorah , Iowa 52101(563 ) 382 - 5990

right of first publication © 2025 Seed Savers Exchange . epitome on this site are protected by copyright — unauthorised use of goods and services is not permitted .

Seed Savers Exchange is a taxation - nontaxable 501(c)3 non-profit-making brass dedicated to the saving of heirloom seeded player .