If you’re growing borlotti beans why not let them just grow and grow, allowing them to dry out on the plant before harvesting them and storing them, ready to use in stews and other dishes throughout the winter?
It’s as simple as this – just let the beans grow. Don’t pick them until they have dried up on the plants. The beans inside the pods will swell and eventually the pods will start to shrivel up. At the end of the season, you can pick them off the plant, pod them, then simply make sure that they are fully dry before putting them into an airtight container.
It’s really important that they are completely dry before you store them, otherwise they’ll just go mouldy. Try to harvest them during a dry spell, not after heavy rainfall. Also, be sure to harvest them before the first frosts.