Description of the Black Eye bean variety, growing characteristics and yield

Growing a good harvest of Black Eye beans is the dream of many gardeners. The beans and blades of this plant are at the peak of popularity.

Groups of supporters of healthy eating have formed. People are interested in healthy food. Products must contain a balanced amount of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. There are certain nutritional and taste requirements for dishes. Black eye meets all standards of healthy nutrition.

Cosmetologists also paid attention to beans. Extracts from the Black Eye are included in creams and masks.Scrubs made from dried and ground beans are popular.

Story

This bean was first mentioned in the Talmud in the year 500. It is part of the holiday dish. The product was delivered to America from Asia. It began to be grown in the South American states.

After some time, cowpeas began to be planted in the west of the continent. In the 18th century, this popular product was included in many American dishes.

In the 19th century, after the end of the war between the North and South, beans became especially popular. This is explained by the ease of growing the crop: it required a lot of nutritious and tasty foods.

From America, the Black Eye migrated to Europe. There the plant quickly spread. It has been observed that planting cowpeas enriches the soil with nitrogen, which increases the yield of subsequent plantings.

Description of the variety

Botanists consider the white bean with a black eye to be a member of the Vigna unguiculata family. Her description:

• annual plant;
• height no more than 0.3 m;
• trifoliate bean-type leaves;
• fruit - a pod with white beans with a black spot;
• Bean ripening period: 120 days;
• difference from beans is the curvature of the flower corollas;
• demands on heat (short frost destroys plantings);
• Black Eye resistance to shading;
• sensitivity of beans to soil moisture;
• grows on loamy, sandy and clayey soils;
• increased soil acidity does not affect bean yield;
• you can actually get up to 3 kg of beans per plant;
• excellent honey plant.

At sprouting beans consumes up to 100% of water from its own weight. Gardeners know: in arid regions, a good harvest can only be achieved with an established irrigation system..

Beneficial features

The main value of Black Eye is the presence of protein (23 g/100 g). It completely replaces animal protein. Beans are an alternative for people who do not eat meat or dairy products.

Vigna supplies a person with vitamins B, PP, A, C, iron, and calcium salts. Beans have an optimal potassium to sodium ratio. This helps remove excess fluid from the body.

Carbohydrates in beans contain 60 g/100 g of product. They are easily absorbed by the body. Fat Black Eye has 1 g/100 g.

The total calorie content of the product is 340 kcal. This ensures that beans are included in the diet of people watching their body weight.

How to choose?

When purchasing Black Eye for planting, gardeners should pay attention to the condition of the beans:

• they must be the same size (this guarantees uniform germination);
• the skin is intact, no cracks or tears;
• the color is white, glossy, with a characteristic black eye;
• absence of dirty spots, growths;
• to the touch bean seeds must be dry.

You should pay attention to the production time: cowpea retains maximum germination for 16-18 months.

Growing

With proper care, black eye provides gardeners with a high yield. Growing Tips:

1. The success of the enterprise depends on the correct choice of planting material.
2. In the middle zone, it is recommended to grow Black Eye through seedlings. In the south, beans have enough warm periods.
3. It is recommended to plant beans in the ground when the soil warms up to 15–17 degrees at a depth of 10 cm.
4. The soil should be fertilized with organic matter (a bucket per square meter) and a mineral complex (according to the manufacturer’s recommendation).
5. It is recommended to sow beans with pre-soaked seeds according to a 70x80 cm pattern.
6. Provide plants with strong support. A wire stretched between the posts will do.
7. It is recommended to loosen and remove weeds.
8. It is necessary to monitor soil moisture: cowpea does not tolerate drought and excess water.

The gardener is advised to remember: before planting, the beds must be moistened.

Features of care

In the southern regions, cowpea produces higher yields. When growing beans in dry places, be sure to consider an artificial irrigation system.

When buds appear, potassium (5 g/square meter) and phosphorus (15 g/square meter) should be added to the soil.

It is recommended to collect mature bean pods: This accelerates the formation of new ones.

Harvesting

You can collect blades or pods with ripe beans. The blades are picked 45 days after germination. At this time the seeds will be the size of a grain of wheat.

The pods are picked after the leaves become dry to the touch. The fruits are peeled, the beans are separated for seeds and sale.

Storage rules

The gardener is recommended to prepare a place to store the Black Eye. Green bean blades are placed in bags and frozen.

The beans are aired and placed in plastic containers in a layer of 10–15 cm. To protect against weevils, laurel leaves or cloves of unpeeled garlic are placed in the boxes. The temperature in the storage should be no higher than 10 degrees Celsius. Permissible humidity is within 30%.

Benefits and harms

The benefits of Black Eye are the use of the plant in dietetics, cosmetology, and medicine. In agriculture, after planting cowpeas, the soil is enriched with nitrogen and becomes more fertile.

Harm can be caused if the amount of beans in the diet is exceeded or if there is an individual intolerance to the components of the plant.

Pests and diseases

Vigna is disease resistant. The greatest damage to plantings is caused by illiterate agricultural technology.

A nematode is sometimes located in the tubers of plant roots. This harms subsequent plants.

Application

Black eye is used in several areas.

In medicine

Doctors prescribe dishes made from cowpea blades for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Beans help heart patients. They remove excess fluid from the body.

In cooking

Buyers appreciated the taste of cowpea dishes. They like soups, side dishes, sauces. The Georgian lobio is especially successful.

In cosmetology

Some salons offer masks and natural creams with an extract from young bean blades. Dry ground beans are used as a scrub. Decoctions and infusions of the plant serve as the basis for refreshing lotions.