Some of my green beans got too large and bumpy. Are they still edible?

Question: 

Some of my green beans got too large and bumpy. Are they still edible?

Answer: 

While pods that are large and bumpy are still edible, they are not nearly as tasty. Green beans (also called snap, string, or wax beans) are intended to be consumed as immature pods with small undeveloped seeds inside. When the seeds inside the pod are too large and mature, the bean pod becomes tough and stringy and is not as palatable. The mature bean inside the pod of a green bean can be shelled and used fresh like fava, butter, or broad beans, but the flavor will likely be inferior.

Learn more in this article: Growing Green Beans

Links to this article are strongly encouraged, and this article may be republished without further permission if published as written and if credit is given to the author, Horticulture and Home Pest News, and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. If this article is to be used in any other manner, permission from the author is required. This article was originally published on . The information contained within may not be the most current and accurate depending on when it is accessed.