"doofy" wrote in message
...
I've got some 4-5 inches long. How do I know when to pick?

What's too early, what's too late?

There is no exact size to pick as the size depends on the cultivar and the
growing circumstances. The general rule is that the whole thing should be
young and tender. This is while the seeds in the pod are underdeveloped and
still small and soft. If they are big and bulgy or hard they are too old.
If the pods are very thin with no visible seed they are probably too young.
In this case they will still be tasty and tender but your yield will be down
somewhat. If they are producing faster than you can eat them at full size
you might choose to pick at this stage and enjoy the luxury of baby beans.

David