Grow your own snack at home with Simple Tips to Grow Edamame Indoors and enjoy fresh, homegrown pods right from your kitchen garden.
When you think of soybeans, you may imagine large farm fields, just like corn or wheat. But you don’t need a big space to grow them. You can grow and harvest young soybeans, called edamame, right at home. You can even grow them in a pot indoors if you follow a few simple steps.
Simple Tips to Grow Edamame Indoors
How and When to Plant Edamame Indoors
Soybeans are usually grown in summer, so they are planted in spring when grown outdoors. If you grow them indoors, timing is less important. Still, they need plenty of sunlight, so it is better to plant them in spring or summer. This helps the plants get enough sun while they grow.
Use a large container that is about 1 foot deep and wide, or even bigger. Plant the seeds about 1/2 to 1 inch deep. You can add a few seeds in the same container, then remove the extra ones later if needed.
Edamame Varieties
Manitoba Brown
This variety was developed in Manitoba, Canada and grows well in cooler northern areas. It produces brown beans when dry, and its taste is similar to other varieties.
Chiba Green
This variety matures early and gives a high yield. It produces large, tasty beans. Chiba Green is also a bush-type bean.
Kuroshinju
Also called “Black Pearl,” this heirloom variety turns black when fully cooked. It has a smooth texture and a slightly sweet taste.
Tohya
This variety grows well in North Dakota. It matures early, produces larger pods, and has tastier seeds than other early-growing types.
Agate
This heirloom variety came to the United States in the 1920s. The seeds are small, olive green, with brown markings.
How to Care for Edamame Indoors
Light
Edamame needs full sun for 6 to 8 hours every day to grow well and produce beans. This can be hard to give indoors.
Place your container near a south-facing window. If sunlight is not enough, you can use grow lights to help. The plant needs a lot of energy to grow healthy bean pods.
Soil
Good soil helps your edamame grow well in a container. Make sure your pot has proper drainage so water can flow out easily. This keeps the roots from sitting in water, which can cause root rot.
Mix the soil well so it holds moisture evenly. You can add perlite to improve air flow and drainage, and vermiculite to keep moisture and nutrients in the soil and help prevent algae growth.
Water
Watering indoor edamame needs a bit of care. When grown outdoors, these plants usually get about 1 inch of water each week.
Indoors, the conditions are different and less intense. Water does not dry up as quickly, so you will need to water less often.
Check the soil often to make sure it stays slightly moist, but not too wet. Do not let the soil dry out completely.
Temperature
You may need to keep the room a bit warmer. Edamame grows best when the daytime temperature is around 80°F.
Fertilizer
It is important to give the right nutrients to the soil.
Edamame needs good amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Check your fertilizer to make sure it has these nutrients. Since edamame is a legume, it can also make its own nitrogen if you use a seed treatment when planting.
How to Harvest Edamame
Make sure your edamame pods are the right size before harvesting.
Harvest them when the seeds inside the pods are fully grown but not too mature. Try to pick them before the leaves start turning yellow. If you have picked peas or green beans before, it is the same process—just pluck or cut the pods from the plant.
Cleaning Edamame
You can do this by placing the edamame in a colander or strainer and rinsing them under running water. Then move them to a towel and gently pat them dry or let them air-dry.
Storing Edamame
After harvesting, if you are not using your edamame right away, store it in a breathable bag in the fridge for a few days. For longer storage, blanch the beans and then freeze them.
