Variety field guide
What to expect from You Fong Wong Yardlong Bean
You Fong Wong carries extra-long, shiny green pods on vines that thrive in summer warmth.
Open the complete descriptionHide the complete descriptionVariety traits, flavor, garden use, and the complete description
You Fong Wong carries extra-long, shiny green pods on vines that thrive in summer warmth. The tender pods are useful cut into stir-fries, curries and braised vegetable dishes, with a fresh green-bean flavor. This yardlong bean is a cowpea relative, and needs a strong trellis to keep the hanging crop easy to gather. Long daylight periods can delay flowering, so allow a warm season and pick often as pods form.
Minimum seeds per packet: 25 seeds.
Long green pods for hot-season gardens and stir-fries.
Variety and background
You Fong Wong is a climbing yardlong bean. Long days can delay flowering; the supplier lists 70-90 days under suitable conditions. Young tender pods are the best harvest cue.
Growing facts
| Scientific name | Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. subsp. sesquipedalis (L.) Verdc. |
|---|---|
| Life cycle | Annual |
| Maturity / harvest basis | About 70-90 days; long days can delay flowering |
| Seed depth | 1 in |
| Germination | 7-14 days |
| Germination temperature | 75-90 F |
| Plant height / spread | 120 in+ |
| Habit | Vining/Climbing |
| Plant spacing | 6-12 in |
| Row spacing | 36-48 in |
| Sunlight | Full sun |
| Pollination type | Open-Pollinated (OP) |
Starting from seed
Direct sow after frost once soil reaches 70 F, 1 in. deep. At 75-90 F allow 7-14 days. Space 6-12 in. apart, rows 36-48 in. apart. Install a tall sturdy trellis, give draining soil and even water, and avoid excess nitrogen.
Planting and care
Direct sow after frost once soil reaches 70 F, 1 in. deep. At 75-90 F allow 7-14 days. Space 6-12 in. apart, rows 36-48 in. apart. Install a tall sturdy trellis, give draining soil and even water, and avoid excess nitrogen. You Fong Wong is a climbing yardlong bean. Long days can delay flowering; the supplier lists 70-90 days under suitable conditions. Young tender pods are the best harvest cue.
Harvest and use
Pick smooth tender pods before seeds bulge; clip rather than pull and chill promptly. Pods may reach 24-36 in., but check tenderness earlier. For seed, isolate other cowpeas and let selected pods dry fully, then shell and dry seeds.
Saving seed
The crop often self-pollinates, but insects can still move pollen among compatible varieties, especially during warm flowering weather. Save from several healthy, true-to-type You Fong Wong plants rather than one exceptional individual. Mark seed plants before the eating harvest, remove clear off-types before they contribute pollen, and let seed reach full biological maturity. Shell only fully dry pods, discard moldy or insect-damaged seed, and dry the cleaned seed again before storage. Label the lot with crop, variety, source, year, location, plant count, isolation method, and selection traits. Keep the original packet and lot history with the saved seed so later grow-outs can be compared without relying only on memory or seed color.
Common problems
Watch You Fong Wong for bean beetles, aphids, leafhoppers, mites, pod-feeding insects, bacterial or fungal leaf spots, rust, mosaic symptoms, and root rots. Rotate away from legumes, avoid working wet foliage, water at the soil line, and remove badly diseased plants. Cold wet soil commonly causes poor emergence; excess nitrogen can create leafy growth with fewer pods. Save seed only from healthy representative plants.
Frequently asked questions
What distinguishes this selection?
You Fong Wong is a climbing yardlong bean. Long days can delay flowering; the supplier lists 70-90 days under suitable conditions. Young tender pods are the best harvest cue.
How should I start it?
Direct sow after frost once soil reaches 70 F, 1 in. deep. At 75-90 F allow 7-14 days. Space 6-12 in. apart, rows 36-48 in. apart. Install a tall sturdy trellis, give draining soil and even water, and avoid excess nitrogen.
When and how should I harvest?
Pick smooth tender pods before seeds bulge; clip rather than pull and chill promptly. Pods may reach 24-36 in., but check tenderness earlier. For seed, isolate other cowpeas and let selected pods dry fully, then shell and dry seeds.
Can I save seed?
The crop often self-pollinates, but insects can still move pollen among compatible varieties, especially during warm flowering weather. Save from several healthy, true-to-type You Fong Wong plants rather than one exceptional individual. Mark seed plants before the eating harvest, remove clear off-types before they contribute pollen, and let seed reach full biological maturity. Shell only fully dry pods, discard moldy or insect-damaged seed, and dry the cleaned seed again before storage. Label the lot with crop, variety, source, year, location, plant count, isolation method, and selection traits. Keep the original packet and lot history with the saved seed so later grow-outs can be compared without relying only on memory or seed color.
