How to Grow Soybeans in Hawaii

Choose between Kailua and Kahala, the soybean varieties best adapted for Hawaii's climate. According to the University of Hawaii, there are Japanese soybean varieties that grow and yield well in Hawaii when planted between March and August. You can buy the Kailua and Kahala seed from the University of Hawaii and from garden shops; you can get the Japanese types from Japanese seed companies.

Plant soybeans into the seedbed about 1 inch or 1 1/2 inches deep. Each seed should be 3- to 4-inches apart in the row, and the rows should be about a foot and a half apart. Add about 2- to 3- pounds of garden fertilizer per 100 square feet when you plant the seeds,and again four weeks later as the plants flower. Plant the seeds in clean seedbeds with proper drainage to keep them from being affected by disease during wet weather. You can also treat the soil with fungicides. Cover the rows with cheesecloth or a wire-mesh screen to prevent birds from damaging them; remove them when the seedlings sprout leaves.

Irrigate the beans regularly to provide enough moisture for the plants at all times; cultivate them to keep weeds from growing and the ground from "crusting."

Add about 10- or 20-pounds of manure or compost per 100 square feet if you want to improve the fertility of the soil.

Harvest the soybeans about 65 or 70 days after planting. Carefully pull out the whole plant when most of the pods are filled with beans and before the pods turn yellow.