How to Grow
Growing Cluster Beans (Guar) In Pots From The Seed
The thriving oil and natural gas industries are linked to this crop that is also consumed as cattle fodder.
What more - this crop nourishes the soil and is used for crop rotation.
Isn’t it too much talent for a single crop?
Well, Cluster Beans (or Guar) are destined to save the world in many ways.
In this blog, you will get to know the many such things about cluster beans like:
- How to grow cluster beans in pots from seeds?
- Important care tips about cluster beans cultivation
- Benefits of eating Guar or cluster beans
- Things that you don’t know about cluster beans
So, let’s enter the crunchy world of cluster beans…
How to grow cluster beans in pots from seeds?
It is easy to grow cluster beans in pots from seeds. Just follow the steps mentioned below: -
- Purchase cluster bean seeds from a nearby nursery, place an online order for them, or grow your own from scratch.
- Remove the beans from a fully ripened cluster bean pod and let them dry in the sun for a few days.
- Now, take a brown bag and store the beans inside of it in a cold, dark location
- Because this plant has tap roots, the pot should be at least 10 to 12 inches deep
- Next, start preparing the soil. Apply compost to make the soil more nutritious for the cluster beans
- Sow seeds 1-1.5 inches deep and lightly cover with soil
- The seeds will germinate in 2–7 days
- To promote quicker germination, soak the seeds for 24 hours before planting.
- Keep in mind that spacing is crucial if you want this plant to get enough moisture and nutrients. Between two plants, a space of 10-15 cm is advised
- Plant three or four seeds in one spot, and when they reach a height of four to five cms, pull out the weaker one.
- Water the soil sufficiently and keep the pot in the sun for at least 6 to 8 hours every day
- Mulching is required because you are growing cluster beans in pots.
- Water the plant every day in the summer for proper growth
- Approximately 40 days after seeding, pods will appear.
Important care tips about cluster beans cultivation
Follow these care instructions for healthy cluster bean plant growth.
Water
Cluster bean plants are water-loving plants and thus would require plenty of water in their growing season. A dearth of water would delay the maturity of the plant. But remember, waterlogging is harmful for this plant. You can opt for drip irrigation.
Sunlight
Make sure that the cluster bean plant receives a minimum of 6–8 hours of direct sunlight. But do not let the leaves burn in excessive sunlight during the midday sun of the summer season.
Temperature
Cluster beans are a tropical vegetable plant, so they grow well in warm temperatures. The proper temperature for germination is 30 to 35 degrees Celsius. For further growth of the plant, the ideal temperature is 38 degrees Celsius. Cluster bean plants can tolerate temperatures up to 45 degrees Celsius.
Fertilizer
After a month of planting, treat your cluster bean plant with 10-10-10 fertilizer. If your soil test shows that the soil lacks phosphorus, you can also use single-superphosphate fertilizer.
Diseases
Cluster bean plants are often visited by pests like leafhoppers and pod borers. Powdery mildew and leaf spot are two diseases that commonly affect cluster bean plants. So, give your plant a good shower with a mix of water and Neem oil once a week.
Season
You can sow seeds from February until March or from September until October.
Location
Select a location in your home or garden that receives 6–8 hours of sunlight.
Soil
A well-drained sandy loam soil is best for the growth of cluster beans. It doesn’t thrive on saline or alkaline soil. The soil pH should be 7–8.5.
Benefits of eating Guar or cluster beans
1. Aids in weight loss
Health awareness is rising among people all around the world. A bulky figure is no longer wanted. Everyone wants to shed those extra kilos because that’s one of the simplest ways to stay away from diseases. Overweight or obesity draws illnesses that will eventually sap your happiness. So, choose the right kind of vegetables or food items to stay fit. One of the best veggies you shouldn't skip while trying to lose weight is guar, often known as cluster beans. Low in calories and carbohydrates, this vegetable will fill your tummy, yet you won’t gain a gram.
2. Treats anaemia
Anemia is a condition where there is not enough iron in the body. Iron is abundant in cluster beans and is present in soluble form. Iron lowers our risk of anaemia and improves blood flow throughout our body.
3. Contain rich nutrients
Guar or cluster beans are a nutrient rich vegetable that you cannot miss. Iron, manganese, folate, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin A, and antioxidants are all present in reasonable amounts. Therefore, cluster beans are capable of providing a required nutrient during pregnancy, boosting immunity, and improving gut health..
4. Good for diabetic patients
Diabetics worry and struggle to regulate proper glucose levels in their blood. Cluster beans are high in phytonutrients and have a low glycemic index. It implies that the water-soluble dietary fiber-rich gluconutrients in guar's glycemic index will aid in regulating blood sugar fluctuations. Consuming cluster beans will thus aid in the maintenance of glucose levels.
5. Improves bone health
The primary function of bones is to provide us with a structure, protect organs, and allow us to move. They shield our heart, brain, and other internal organs from injuries. Our bones store minerals like calcium and phosphorus that support bone health and release them into the body when other bodily functions require them. So, we have to take good care of your bones. Cluster beans are a rich source of calcium, phosphorus, and protein, which is exactly what our bones need..
6. Keeps heart healthy
A healthy heart means a happy life. Both HDL and LDL are present in a healthy heart, but not in equal amounts. Cluster beans aid in lowering blood levels of LDL, or bad cholesterol, which supports heart health. Cluster beans are a fantastic food for patients with heart disease since they contain dietary fibre, potassium, and folate. This vegetable must also be consumed by everyone in order to safeguard their hearts..
7. Reduces hypertension & cholesterol
In general, it is observed that diabetics have a higher propensity to develop heart-related problems, which ultimately result in hypertension. Most diabetics also struggle with high blood pressure. Diabetes and heart disease together cause hypertension, which also causes cholesterol levels to rise. Cluster beans offer natural treatment for those with high blood pressure because they are known to be hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic. It reduces blood pressure and aids in preventing the other issues.
8. Highly recommended for pregnant ladies
There are countless requirements for minerals, vitamins, calcium, and other nutrients both before and after pregnancy. Cluster beans are incredibly rich in folic acid and help a woman's health by making up for vitamin and mineral deficits. This particular vegetable's folic acid content mitigates a number of difficulties that arise during pregnancy and childbirth.
9. Improves digestion
Cluster beans help improve digestion and protect us from various digestion-related issues. The three most important components of digestion that cluster beans are renowned for are regulating digestion, promoting bowel movement, and flushing toxins. Its reputation as a potent laxative aids in digestion improvement by removing toxins that have built up in the stomach. Moreover, it encourages bowel motions..
10. Takes care of blood circulation system
Red blood cells include the protein haemoglobin, which transports oxygen to your body's organs and tissues and carbon dioxide from those tissues back to your lungs. People with low haemoglobin counts experience fatigue because the organs and tissues do not receive the correct quantity of oxygen. The well-known hemoglobin-boosting properties of cluster beans have a good impact on your body's blood circulation.
Things that you don’t know about cluster beans
There are many other things about cluster beans that perhaps you don’t know. Read below and know more: -
- The cluster beans or guar is an annual legume and the source of guar gum. It’s botanical name is Cyamopsis tetragonoloba.
- The other names of cluster beans are – gavar, gawar, or guvar bean
- The origin of cluster bean is unknown as it has never been found in the wild. It is assumed to have developed from the African species Cyamopsis senegalensis. It was then domesticated in South Asia, where it has been cultivated for centuries.
- Cluster beans prefer semi-arid regions but frequent rainfall is also necessary
- Agriculturists or farmers in semi-arid regions of Rajasthan use cluster beans to replenish the soil with essential fertilizers and nitrogen before growing the next crop. It is thus great for crop rotation.
- Cluster beans are consumed by humans ans animals both
- Another rimportnat function of cluster beans is that it is an excellent gelling agent
- It is a major ingredient for making toy slime
- Do you know that part from using as a livestock and human food, most of the production of cluster beans is exported to the oil and natural gas industries? That is done to increase the ability of liquid to move the crucial material required to keep fissures open during oil extraction.
FAQs
1. Does cluster beans cause gas?
Cluster beans can cause gas if taken in excess of a moderate limit due to their high-fiber content.
2. Are cluster beans and French beans the same?
They have a similar appearance. So, some say cluster beans are smaller cousins of French beans.
3. Are cluster beans good for constipation?
Yes, cluster beans are good for constipation and all gut-related problems.
4. Do cluster beans clean out your colon?
Cluster beans have high fiber content, which facilitates good bowel movements. So, yes, they clean out the colon.
5. Can I eat raw cluster beans?
Some individuals consume raw cluster beans, but doctors advise against eating them because lectins in raw cluster beans may produce symptoms including nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, or bloating.
Cluster beans are typically served as a vegetable with rice or chapatti in most homes. Raw cluster beans are also boiled before being used in salads. By cooking or boiling, the levels of antioxidants like carotenoids and isoflavones increase, and harmful lectins get deactivated.
6. Are cluster beans good for thyroid?
Cluster beans are a great source of energy with low calories and a good amount of protein, complex carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. So, if you feel tired because of your thyroid problem, consumption of cluster beans is recommended.
7. Are cluster beans good for the liver?
Yes, cluster beans are beneficial to the liver due to their high nutrient and fiber content.
Ref Links: -
http://organicterrace.in/blog/how-to-grow-cluster-beans-in-containers/
https://gardeningtips.in/growing-cluster-beans-in-pots-from-the-seed-guar
https://www.lybrate.com/topic/cluster-beans-gawar-phali-benefits-and-side-effects
https://www.tarladalal.com/article-benefits-of-guar-gavar-cluster-beans-363
http://www.foodreference.com/html/fclusterbean.html
https://www.naturebring.com/grow-cluster-beans-growing-cluster/
http://organicterrace.in/blog/how-to-grow-cluster-beans-in-containers/
