I second Gardenlad's info; edamame soybeans are best when grown at greater spacing. At 3-4", the total yield will be higher, but the individual plants will yield less & there will be fewer seeds per pod. At 6-8", the plants will be bushier, and will have more & fuller pods. Plant them when the soil is fully warm. As for garbanzos... I have only tried them once, with less than satisfactory results. The semi-woody stems were rather brittle, and many were snapped off by strong winds. And while the yield _potential_ appeared to be very high, many seeds rotted on the vine, or sprouted - my losses were about 80%. The seeds seem to be _very_ sensitive to moisture, even before the pods are fully dry. Since I only grew one variety, I lack the data to make a conclusion on all garbanzos... but it appears that they would not do well in areas where late summer rains are prevalent. Be aware that garbanzos exude an acid from their leaves that may cause skin irritation in some people, so you should avoid planting them along pathways, or where you will come in contact with them frequently.

For fun I sprouted and planted some of the chana dal I got at the Indian market - the germination rate was really really high, and they grew great here in CA. They set many pods per plant, probably 10 per stalk and maybe 4 stalks per plant, but the beans are tiny (pencil-eraser size at largest) and are only one or two per pod. I think they are a different variety than the larger middle-eastern garbanzos, which might set more per pod. I planted two rows of about 12' and just harvested a bunch green - maybe half of what was on the plants, but it only amounts to about 4 cups in the pod. I was hoping to harvest for dry beans, but there has been a caterpillar invasion, so if I don't pick now, I likely won't get any! If you pick them while green, do they not dry properly? Has anyone had the caterpillar problem?

Ann, DH is one of those people who sometimes say they hate something that they have never tried. He really wants to lose weight, but he really likes his snacks. And usually more than one or two in an evening. So I have tried some unusual combinations of things and as long as I don't tell him what's in it before he tastes it, he gives it a fair shake. One of his favorites is sugar-free fat-free vanilla pudding with sliced bananas and cous cous (which he thought was tapioca). I don't lie to him, I just don't disclose everything before the tasting. He also hates eggplant, but he loves my eggplant pizza. I slice the eggplant, brush it with olive oil and broil it (both sides, then add marinara sauce, low-fat pepperoni, fat-free cheese, then bake until the cheese "sort of" melts. There have been several things that DH thought he didn't like - until I found the right venue for that particular item. He now eats tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and vinegar and summer squash several different ways, both items he "hated". As for the garbanzo bean cake, it worked well with the Splenda, but I think next time I will increase it to 1 cup. I didn't take into account the extra sweetness the chocolate chips would have added. The cocoa and applesauce also worked well. I served it with fat-free Cool Whip. DH said it was "okay". I'll keep tweaking it until it satisfies me. This is in no way a reflection on the original recipe, I just have to adjust it to fit our needs.

Maryann D Here ya go!!