How to Grow Black & White Calypso Beans

Black and white calypso beans are a type of kidney bean. A bush bean, the plant will grow to 15 feet in height. Although the pod is edible, like that of a green bean, calypso beans are grown for the half-black, half-white beans inside the pod. Like all beans, calypso beans are a warm weather crop so don't plant the seeds until the temperature remains above 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

Garden fork
Sand
Fertilizer

Instructions

- 1
  Clear all the weeds from the planting area. Calypso beans can't compete with other plants for soil nutrients and water.
- 2
  Prepare the soil in the calypso bean bed by digging into it to a depth of 10 inches, turning the soil and crushing large clods. Add a 3-inch layer of sand and mix it into the top 6 inches of garden soil.
- 3
  Plant the calypso beans 1 inch deep and 2 inches apart in 15 inch rows. Water the top 6 inches of soil after planting and keep the soil slightly moist while the beans germinate.
- 4
  Thin the calypso seedlings to 4 inches apart when they reach 6 inches in height. Pull out the weakest plants and throw them on the compost pile or discard them.
- 5
  Provide the calypso bean plants with 1 inch of water per week.
- 6
  Fertilize the calypso beans when they have set pods. Dig a 2-inch deep trench, 1 inch to the side of the row of bean plants. Sprinkle 1 tbsp. 10-10-10 fertilizer on the bottom of the trench and cover it with soil. Water to a depth of 4 inches after fertilizing.
- 7
  Harvest the black and white calypso beans when the pods are full. This generally occurs within 70 to 90 days of planting the seeds.

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