Territorial Seed Company Rattlesnake Bean

Rattlesnake beans are not recommended for containers. As a pole variety, they require significant vertical space and a sturdy trellis system to support their growth.

For fresh eating, pick the pods while they are tender and green with purple streaks. To harvest for dried beans, leave the pods on the vine until they turn brown and brittle, then shell them to store the speckled seeds for winter.

Direct sowing is highly recommended. These beans have delicate root systems that do not transplant well, so it is best to plant them directly into the garden soil once the danger of frost has passed.

No extra effort is needed. As nitrogen-fixing legumes, these plants naturally enrich the soil with nitrogen as they grow, which can benefit your garden beds for future plantings.

To maximize your harvest, pick the pods regularly throughout the summer. Frequent harvesting prevents the plant from focusing its energy on seed production, which encourages it to continue producing new pods.

Yes, because this is an open-pollinated variety, you can successfully save the seeds from your dried beans to plant in future seasons.