Several growers say they prune the vines after about the 12th leaf appears. This causes the vines to send out as many as six side shoots, much like a grapevine, so you get a huge increase in pod production.3
The seeds have a hard coat that may affect germination, soak the seeds for 24-48 hours before planting. After soaking swollen seeds have better germination. Unswollen seeds can be scarified (scratched with knife, sandpaper, or file).1
Try to aim for a seed spacing of at least 3.9 inches (10.0 cm) and sow at a depth of around 0.78 inches (2.0 cm). Soil temperature should be kept higher than 21°C / 70°F to ensure good germination.The mature pods can grow up to 22 cm (9") long, though they taste better when picked small, no more than 15 cms (3") long. Most commercially grown beans are harvested at 10-15 cms. When the pods become too ripe, they get stringy and tough, but the flip side is that the seeds inside can be eaten just like your regular garden variety shelling peas. When fully mature and dried the seeds may be cooked by soaking in water for an hour and then boiling in water similar to beans.3
These estimates for how long Winged bean takes to sprout, grow and harvest are from real observations from real gardeners, right around the world.
Average 5 days | Min 2 days | Max 9 days (5)
Average 30 days | Min 30 days | Max 30 days (1)
Average 65 days | Min days | Max days (0)
Goa bean, Princess bean, Asparagus pea, Four-angled bean, Wingbeans, Asian Winged Beans[1], Manila beans
1 Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds – Asian Winged Bean
fn3"Mother Earth":http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/2007-06-01/Hunan-Winged-Bean.aspx
4 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winged_bean