How to Produce the Best Soybeans

The soybean is a warm-weather legume that has been cultivated in Asia for thousands of years. It has only been relatively recently, however, that soybeans have shown up in U.S. supermarkets and featured on restaurant menus. Soybeans, although easy to grow, are slower growing than green beans, and they require a warmer soil temperature. Soybean seeds should not be planted until the soil warms to at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Early maturing varieties are best for northern gardeners, while late maturing varieties are best for the South, according to the National Soybean Research Laboratory. Choose a sunny location with loose soil to produce the best soybeans.

Hoe or gardening fork
Rake
Compost
Sand

Instructions

- 1
  Prepare the soybean bed by removing all weeds, rocks and other debris. Loosen the soil with a hoe or gardening fork to a depth of 10 inches and crush clods of soil that are larger than your fist.
- 2
  Spread a 4-inch layer of compost and, if you have clay soil, a 2-inch layer of coarse sand over the bed and mix it to a depth of 10 inches. Use a rake to level the planting bed.
- 3
  Plant the soybean seeds 2 inches deep in sandy soil, 1 inch deep otherwise. Plant the seeds 2 inches apart in rows 24 inches apart.
- 4
  Water the seed bed with the fine mist setting on the hose to avoid washing the seeds away. Water to a depth of 5 inches and keep the soil moist until the seedlings emerge, which generally occurs within five to 10 days of planting. Continue to keep the soil moist and water the plants at the soil to avoid getting water on the foliage.
- 5
  Spread a 2-inch layer of compost on the soil surrounding the plants four weeks after the seedlings emerge from the soil. This is the only fertilizer the plants require.
- 6
  Keep an eye out for beetles and treat the soybean plants with Sevin dust or other insecticides labeled for use on soybeans.

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