How to Grow Your Own Soybeans and How to Use Them

Soybeans are often knowingly consumed as tofu, tempeh, or plant-based milk, and probably even more often, it is slipped into processed food such as soybean oil and flour. Otherwise, it features heavily in livestock feeds. It is also one of the few foods that is grown primarily via GMO seedstock.

In other words, this is one of those foods that you might want to be sure to buy organic or, even better, grow at home for yourself. Soybeans, being legumes, are actually great for the soil because they fix nitrogen into it, and they can be used fresh right away, dried then stored, or processed for DIY tofu/tempeh.

Like most legumes, soybeans are usually pretty agreeable crops to grow, and even though, we don’t often cook them as legumes at home, they are much better than their processed food reputation might suggest.

Sowing Soybean Seeds

First things first, soybeans have lots of varieties, but they all generally fall into one of three categories: green, black, or yellow seeds. Green is considered the most flavorful and tender, perfect for fresh eating. Black seeds are ideal for dried soybeans. And, yellow seeds tend to be used for milk and flour.

When sowing soybeans, it’s important to wait until all chances of frost have passed. They don’t tolerate the cold. Like other beans, they don’t transplant well, so it’s also important to directly sow them where they will be growing. Unlike other legumes, it’s best not to soak soybeans overnight as they are prone to cracking when given too much water.

Otherwise, the plan should be to plant soybeans in a bed that wasn’t used to grow legumes of any sort the previous season to avoid disease transfer. Finally, the plants should be spaced about 4 inches apart in rows that are a couple of feet apart.

Making the Bed for Soybeans

Soybeans aren’t particularly hungry plants in need of constant fertilization, but for sure, growing them in a good medium will help boost production. It’s as easy as using some compost to amend the soil in the raised bed or garden rows where the beans will be grown.

Once the seedlings are up and tall enough, the bed should be given a thick layer of mulch. Straw or last year’s autumn leaves would be perfect. This will help the soil stay moist, keep weed competition at bay, and minimize compaction from heavy summer rains.

Lastly, while it’s generally a good idea to mix other plants into the bed as companion plants. With soybeans (and other legumes), it’s best to steer clear of alliums, aka the onion family. Plant those leeks, onions, chives, and garlic elsewhere.

Soybean Issues

Soybeans don’t usually have a huge problem with pests in terms of insects. They can be susceptible to Mexican bean beetles, so a homemade spray could help if they show up. More so, soybean plants are a beloved snack of mammals, from chipmunks to deer and all sizes in between. Fungal disease can also cause issues, so it helps not to handle the plants when wet and to space them properly to allow sufficient airflow around them.

Harvesting Soybeans

Growers should expect to wait at least three months before getting any kind of harvest from their soybean plants. A good harvest would be in the vicinity of 50 pods per plant or more with about 2-3 seeds per pod.

The right time to harvest will be different for different uses. For edamame, the pods should be a few inches long and plump with the young seeds. For freezing fresh soybeans, they can be picked a little larger than edamame, boiled for a minute, and peeled. Dried beans can be harvested when the pods are dry and the leaves of the plant have begun to yellow.

Soybeans should not be eaten raw. They have an anti-nutrient that needs to be cooked away.

Using Soybeans

Using soybeans, the actual beans, is something that might be unfamiliar to many of us. We know edamame is a great snack food. The soft, fresh beans can be prepared similarly to garden peas or lima beans. The dried beans are what would be used to make homemade tempeh or tofu. Other options would include soybean sprouts and whizzing the boiled soybeans into delicious dips or spreads akin to hummus.

Related Content:

• Soy Consumption and Deforestation: 75 Percent of Soybean Crop Grown in the Amazon is Fed to Livestock
• 6 Protein-Packed Legumes and Their Health Benefits
• How to Make Tempeh at Home
• 15 Fun Ways to Use Tempeh in Your Plant-Based Recipes
• Tips and Ideas for Marinating Tofu
• 6 Cooking Tips That Will Make You Love Tofu

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