How to Grow Beans
There is a wide variety of beans. You could say there is a bean for everyone.
Each type of bean has a different distinct flavor, and is used in different
ways.
A bush bean or a pole bean? That is the question. Many varieties of
beans can be found as either a pole or a bush bean.
Bush beans grow as small bushy plants close to the ground. They do not need
support.
Pole beans are is a vining variety. It needs support of a pole, trellis or
fence, to grow and thrive. It also requires a longer time to reach maturity.
Once the plants begin to produce, they do so for a longer period of time.
A great advantage of pole beans, is the bean grows straighter and it stays
off the ground. And, they are easier to pick.
Did you Know? Astronauts are not allowed to eat beans before they
go into space because passing wind in a spacesuit damages them. Not to mention
the another drawback in such a confined space....
Varieties:
-
Green Snap Beans- There are bush and pole green beans. Among the pole beans,
you can find an Italian or Roma bean which is long, flat, and has a stronger
flavor. Green beans mature in 60-75 days ,depending upon the variety. Pole
varieties take the longer time period to mature. Harvest when the bean reaches
full size, but before the pod gets too fat, An over ripe pod is tough. The
bean loses it's sweetness and becomes bitter.
-
Yellow Beans- Yellow beans only come in bush variety. Many people will agree,
it is the far better tasting of the two. And, more tender too.
-
Lima Beans, sometimes called Butter Bean, come
in bush or pole varieties. The bean is flat and rounded, with a distinct
flavor. Baby Lima beans are the sweeter of the varieties.
-
Shell Beans- There are a wide variety of shell beans, the most common of
which is the Navy bean used to make baked beans. Shell beans are grown for
the seed or bean inside the pod or shell.
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Pinto Beans - A dried bean, popular in Mexican
cuisine.
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Fava Beans- A big, fat bean grown for it's seed. Fava beans are great in
soups.
-
Blackeye Peas - Is it a bean or a pea? You make
the call. It's also called "Cowpeas". This favorite southern bean is grown
for the bean inside. It grows in a slender pod which looks like a green bean.
The bean inside is tan in color, and has a black circle on it with a beige
spot in the middle of the circle. Hence it's name "Blackeye".
-
Soybean- High in protein, fiber and calcium. Its
health and nutrition benefits, makes it increasingly popular in home gardens.
-
Scarlet Runner Bean - an edible
ornamental bean.....KEWL!!!
Did you Know? A bush variety can have some characteristics that revert
back to a parental plant, and grow like a pole bean. There really has not
been much explanation of what may cause this, or if any environmental conditions
enhance this occurrence. If your bush bean is producing runners like a pole
bean, you can cut off the runners at a node just past the length they want
the stem.
Days to Maturity:
From 60 to 90 days to harvest, depending on variety. In general, pole beans
take about 10 - 15 days longer than bush beans.
If planted early, many areas can plant a fall crop. Fall crops may require
more days to harvest, due to declining hours of sunlight and lower
temperatures.
Sowing Bean Seeds:
Plant beans outdoors after the last frost date for your area. Follow the
spacing directions on the packet. Plant spacing can vary significantly by
type of bean. Bean seeds are big, making them easy to space.
We recommend sowing seeds in double rows. This helps to maximize space
utilization in home gardens.
Side dress the rows, with a general purpose fertilizer.
Water well after planting, and a second time to to four days later, if there
has been no rain.
In warm soil, seeds sprout in 4-7 days.
How to Grow Beans:
Grow bean plants in full sun. They prefer rich, well draining soil. The plants
are heavy feeders. Add compost prior to planting. Apply a side dressing of
fertilizer, to give these plants a fast start as soon as they germinate.
When growing beans, it is important to thin seedling to proper distance,
as noted on the seed packet. If there are no directions, space plants three
inches apart in rows three feet apart. Double rows are common in home gardens.
When using double rows, leave enough room for the them to grow without the
rows overcrowding.
Pole beans and vining bean crops require some support. Fences, trellis,
poles, or netting should be provided in sufficient height for maximum
growth of the vines. Pest and Plant Netting works well as a support,
too. Set up the netting like a fence. You can also use the netting to cover
the crop to keep pests out.
Veggie
Cages - Throw away the wire and hoop cages. This
revolutionary cage expands a whopping 7ft! Stores flat in almost no space.
Try them on sweet peas, tomatoes, pole beans, and other climbing climbing
flowers and vegetables.
For maximum growth and harvest, water frequently, especially during dry periods.
Try to keep the leaves dry as you water. This will help avoid fungus diseases.
Apply a general purpose fertilizer once a month during the season.
Keep beans well weeded all season long.
Harvesting Beans:
As a rule of thumb, pick beans while pods are still tender. Pods can get
stringy, especially as they mature.
For dried beans, pick after the pods have dried. The beans can be allowed
to dry right on the vine.
Insects and Pests:
Most varieties of beans are susceptible to a variety of insects, most notably
beetles. They can be effectively treated with Sevin, Diazinon or a variety
of other insecticides.
Bunnies love beans! Rabbits eat the the tender new leaves and the beans,
too. If there are rabbits in your area, a rabbit fence is not a nicety, it
is a necessity. They will devastate a row of beans in a hurry, eating leaves,
leaving just stems. As new leaves develop, they will come back for more.
Pest netting is effective for bunnies.
More on control of rabbits in the
garden.
Deer love to nip leaves of beans. If deer are a problem in your area, they
will be a problem with your runner beans. Fencing or
pest netting is the most effective control.
More on how to control deer in gardens.
Disease:
Bacterial and wilt diseases are common among the Bean family. This plant
disease arrives with summer heat and humidity. This often occurs just before,
or during, the ripening of the crop. Fungicides are recommended in areas
of high heat and humidity.
Tip: Keep the leaves dry and allow more spacing between plants for
better air circulation.
Plant Problems - Diagnosis,
causes and cures for many common plant problems.
Hardiness:
Beans are not a hardy plant. They are susceptible to cold and frost. Hold
off planting until a few days before all danger of frost is past. In the
fall, cover the crop on nights when the temperature is expected to go below
40 degrees.
More Information:
Recipes: May we suggest:
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Pest Netting - Keep rabbits, deer, and other foraging
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