growing beans

Growing beans or green beans are a simple crop to grow and provide a many meals of beans from a small area. Green beans are a warm weather vegetable that grows best in soil that is well drained and loose. Five plants per person provide enough green beans for the summer and when frozen, the winter too. These prolific little plants love to grow beans, the more you pick from the plant, the more they produce. You'll need to decide whether you'll grow the bush or pole green beans. The bush beans tend to be easier and you don't need

You should start the green beans is soil that is fertile, well drained and not recently planted in potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce, cabbage or beans. Many gardeners believe that you should put them in a different spot every year and only plant the beans once every three years in a particular area. Root rot often comes from diseases left in the soil where the beans or the other plants mentioned were the year before. The plants require full sun.

You should plant the beans after the last possibility of frost. Some folks like to plant them inside to get a good start. This can work against you too. The plants grow relatively fast if you plant at the appropriate time. Starting them ahead introduces the potential for transplant shock. While you might want to start some of your plants that way to have a crop sooner, consider the potential for shock and do some of the seeds later in the ground.

Bush beans require a different type of planting from pole beans. Till the soil at least 8 to 10 inches deep and rake it smooth. Make furrows 24 to 32 inches apart and 1 inch deep. Drop a seed every 1 to 2 inches and cover the rows. When they are at least 3 inches high, thin the seeds to 3 inches apart.

Pole beans use the ancient mound planting method. Make mounds 3 feet apart and leave a 3 to 4 foot space between them. Put a stake in the center of the mound. Plant the approximately four seeds in each mound, spacing them evenly around the pole. Put them in at a depth of 1 inch.

You should keep the soil evenly moist throughout the growing bean season. Attempt to keep the roots moist without soaking the foliage. Water the plants at the roots and don't let the soil dry out. Blossom drop occurs when this happens and your plants won't produce as prolifically.

Its important to remember that when growing beans that it require fertilizer. Putting compost on the garden before planting and working it into the soil is an excellent idea. You might want a side dressing of fertilizer as the seeds germinate to give them a good head start. If you fertilize after planting, use a cup of 10-20-10 fertilizer, sprinkle it about and water it into the soil.

To avoid bacterial and wilt that often occurs as the plants begin to produce, make sure you have ample air circulation among the plants and keep the leaves dry during humid weather. Put the plants into the ground with ample room for the air to circulate and you'll avoid many problems.

Pick the beans when the pods are mature and crisp. They should snap when you bend them and expose a moist fleshy interior. You can blanch the beans and store them in freezer bags for the winter.

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Tips on growing beans