Crop type: Soya Beans
Glycine max ‘Envy’
Common name: Soya bean ‘Envy’
Crop slug: soya-beans
This Allotment Pro editorial draft summarises the cited RHS cultivar profile and its linked crop guidance. Check the sources and adjust cultivation decisions for local conditions.RHS cultivar profile
1 - Overview
‘Envy’ is a heavy-cropping soya bean cultivar. The RHS growing guide describes plants reaching about 60cm tall and recommends the variety for two harvest styles: pick the plump pods while green for edamame, or allow them to mature to obtain dry soya beans.
The exact cultivar profile confirms the identity as Glycine max ‘Envy’, but currently provides only limited cultivar-specific fields. It does not publish a separate description, recognition badges or detailed How to Grow record. This guide therefore keeps the sparse profile facts distinct from cultivation information taken from the linked parent soya bean guide.
2 - Size
- Height in the RHS crop guide
- up to about 60cm
- Ultimate spread
- not stated on the exact cultivar profile
- Habit
- not stated on the exact cultivar profile
- Lifecycle
- grown as an annual crop
At roughly 60cm, ‘Envy’ should form a manageable bush rather than the much taller climbing framework used for runner beans. Retain the parent guide’s 15cm plant spacing and 45cm row spacing so air and light can reach the crop. Provide short canes and string only if wind causes stems to lean.
3 - Growing conditions
The exact cultivar profile does not publish cultivar-specific soil, moisture or pH fields. Follow the parent crop guidance: use fertile, humus-rich soil that is moist but freely drained, after incorporating at least two bucketfuls of mature compost or manure per square metre.
Consistent moisture is particularly important during flowering and pod swelling. Avoid cold, waterlogged ground, which may rot seed, and do not allow container compost to dry completely. Mulching established plants helps retain moisture and suppress competing weeds.
4 - Position and hardiness
The exact profile does not assign ‘Envy’ a light, aspect, exposure or hardiness rating. Treat it as a warm-season annual in the UK. Choose full sun and the warmest sheltered site available, ideally where plants benefit from a south- or west-facing aspect.
Sow under cover in April or May at 18–20°C, or direct sow only once soil is at least 15°C. Harden indoor-raised plants and wait until frost risk has passed before planting outside. These precautions reflect soya beans’ need for a long warm summer rather than an undocumented cultivar hardiness claim.
5 - Colour and seasonal interest
| Season | Foliage | Pods and beans |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | Green seedlings under cover | — |
| Summer | Green bushy growth | Green hairy pods suitable for edamame when plump |
| Autumn | Foliage yellows as plants ripen | Pods become dry and papery around mature beans |
| Winter | Annual crop cleared | Dried beans may be stored |
The profile does not list cultivar-specific flower, foliage or fruit colours. The table reflects the normal harvest stages described in the exact linked RHS soya-bean growing guide. For an identifying illustration, the most useful presentation is a compact green plant bearing an abundant crop at both green-edamame and mature dry-pod stages.
6 - Botanical details
- Family
- Fabaceae
- Native to Great Britain and Ireland
- No
- Name status
- Unresolved
Genus
Glycine is a genus of scrambling annual or perennial plants, best known for Glycine max, the cultivated soya bean used as a food ingredient. Tall stems carry green foliage and violet-purple to white flowers, followed by green seed pods.
Food safety
Never eat soya beans raw. Boil edamame beans for at least ten minutes, and prepare and cook mature beans thoroughly. This safety requirement applies whether ‘Envy’ is harvested green or dry.
7 - How to grow
Cultivation
The exact profile supplies no separate cultivar instructions, so use the parent guide. Sow one seed 5cm deep per pot under cover in April or May, or sow outdoors from May to June in soil at least 15°C. Plant or thin to 15cm apart in rows 45cm apart. Maintain warmth, full sun and regular moisture, particularly from flowering through pod fill.
Pick green pods once beans inside are pea-sized for edamame. Alternatively, leave pods until yellow-brown, dry and papery, then shell and finish drying the mature beans before airtight storage.
Propagation
Raise from seed following the parent crop method. Handle root balls gently when planting out.
Pruning
No cultivar-specific pruning field is supplied. Routine pruning is unnecessary for an annual bean crop.
Pests and diseases
No cultivar-specific pest or disease fields are supplied. Monitor for the parent guide’s common problems, including downy and powdery mildews, plant viruses, slugs and snails. Warm sowing conditions, crop rotation, airflow and soil-level watering help reduce avoidable losses.