What do I do with all these vanilla beans???

[cb977]

I use plain old African Violet mix for mine

[tennisfreak]

I'm so excited, I just found another website that totally spells out the process for curing the vanilla beans.

VRF - Vanilla processing and curing

The site explains when the beans are ripe, the temperature of the water and how long to keep them in the hot water to kill the beans and the how to sweat and dry them.

Now I know that my beans are not ready to be picked and I have to wait. I have my wool blanket but I still need a wood box. Antique stores, here I come!!

This morning I found a partially dried bean on the pool deck and it smells like vanilla. Wow!!! Too cool!!

Penny

[fyschebone]

Goodness, what a process. It seems almost as complicated and time consuming as winemaking.

[BUUZBEE]

Thats fantastic! good luck with the rest of the process!

[FL_GROWER82]

Penny,

Where did you get your vanilla plant?

I am assuming that it was a cutting that has just taken off, yes?

I live here on the west coast of Florida and anticipate no issues with growing Vanilla over here.

I am just confused about getting a plant…where, how much, etc…

Also, can these take direct sunlight? I am just wondering what it would be able to take as well.

Any insight would be helpful!

Thank you.

[luckygrower]

I was able to purchase my vanilla on EBay,about $10-$20plus shipping.I don't think they can take direct sun,mine are in my sun room in a north facing window,it is not large enough to flower yet.

[FL_GROWER82]

Okay cool...I was looking there and found them...that works for me :-)

[Des]

Wow , what have you been feeding that plant!
No, on second thoughts don't tell me.please don't tell me, I don't have the space !

[chulaorchids]

I used a simple method, when the beans are big and been on for three or more months, I would pick them off, roll them tight and individually in sheets of fresh newspaper, put them in a cardboard box side by side and put the box up on a shelf out of the way for a year or so.
They will not start smelling or tasting like vanilla until they start turning brown. Check once in awhile and when you find one all brown you can remove them from the paper and use them in many ways, but not until then.

My favorite was always one in a container of sugar, and I gave most of the rest away.

I'm assuming you polinated all or these yourself, great job. I have explained to many people how to accomplish polination, but never saw anyone with that much success and some never caught on, lol.

I would start to do something with them pretty soon as that many pods on one plant may set it back considerably considering next years growth and bloom.

Harry -

[tennisfreak]

My vanilla plant gets morning sun and is shielded from overhead and afternoon sun. I got the cutting from a local grower on Merritt Island, but I have seen cuttings at orchid shows. I use regular orchid fertilizer with an Ortho container that fits onto a garden hose.

I have been removing beans off the vine and to kill them I heat water to 150 degrees F and put the beans in for 2 minutes. Then I dry and wrap them up into a towel & a heating pad for 24 hours at a temperature of 118-120. Since our weather has been cold and cloudy I have put the beans on a black towel and left them on my counter. When we get the sun back I'll try to put them in the sun for 2 hours a day until they have lost most of their moisture. They really smell like vanilla!! I can't wait to make extract and flavored liquer!!

Penny