Stage of Harvest:
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Immature beans are dark green in color. When they are fully mature and ready for harvest, they will have a pale yellowing at the distal end. This is the right time for harvesting. Immature beans when harvested will not cure properly to full aroma. They will not be supple after curing. If the beans are left on the vine even after they are fully mature, they will turn fully yellow and start splitting giving out a small quantity of oil which is reddish brown in colour. This is called the Balsam of Vanilla.
The bean can be harvested by holding it in the hand and pressing the pedicel with the thumb or by cutting with a sharp knife. Around 75 to 80 mature beans of18 to 20 cm length will weigh one kg and 5 to 6 kg of green beans will yield 1 kg of processed bean after curing. The old and weak branches should be cut and removed after harvest of beans.
Yield:
Yield of vanilla vine depends on method of cultivation, age of the vine and development of beans. The vine normally starts yielding from the third year after planting and the yield will stabilize by the fifth year. The vine will yield optimally for the next 8 to 10 years. The yield declines after 15 years and replanting can be taken up at this age.
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