The Life of a Mung Bean Plant

Mung bean seeds are small and vary in color.

The Mung bean plant came to America in 1835 and is sometimes called the Chickasaw pea. It originated in India and has been grown in other countries as well. Seeds are different colors, but the green ones are the ones that will grow best.

Planting

The mung bean plant should be planted in places that have warm weather and should be planted around the middle to end of May because the frost will have been gone for at least 90 days. The soil has to be moist and drained so the seeds have room to grow. Plant them 1.5 inches deep in case the soil forms a crust. This will ensure that the plant is able to grow.

Growing

The mung bean will sprout in two to five days depending on how they were taken care of beforehand. If seeds are soaked before they are planted, they will sprout faster. Once they have sprouted, flowers will begin to appear. Pale yellow flowers in clusters. One a pod has matured, there will be about 10 to 15 seeds in each one.

Harvesting

When the pods are about 15 percent full of water, they are two thirds mature. This is when they should be harvested. Since mung beans are often eaten, it is common to harvest them before they are fully mature. They will continue to ripen and mature as time goes on. However, some people do let them reach near maturity before harvesting them. If harvested, this is the end of the life of the mung bean, but some of them do carry on. Not all mung beans are picked and those ones ensure that there will be another crop.

Pollination

Since there are many seeds in each pod, self-pollination takes place among the mung bean plants. The pods that are not picked will fall off and their seeds will spread in the soil. They do not need to be planted very deep, so the combination of insects and wind will encourage the growth of the plants.

Considerations

Mung beans come in all different colors from yellow to black to green. They are legumes, but grow like annual flowers and will flower so they look nice in a garden. If you are planning on eating them, make sure to wash them very thoroughly.

References

• Sprout People: Mung Bean
• Alternative Crops Manual: Mungbean