Beans originated in Central or South America. They are fast and very easy to grow, and come in two forms, pole and bush.

Selecting your varieties

• Think about the space you have for beans and how you want to harvest them.
• Pole beans grow on a narrow plant, but reach six to 10 feet tall and must have support with a tall trellis or tripod. Bush beans grow two feet tall and wide, so support is optional, though a low cage can be useful to corral them.
• Pole beans bear over a long season and produce a larger crop; a bush bean plant bears over a two or three-week period.

Where, When and How to Plant Your Seedlings

• You can pop the plants into an amended bed when you get them home from the sale.
• Put any supports in place prior to planting - beans grow fast.
• For bush beans, place them so that they will have room for air circulation even at their two feet wide width. Pole beans can be planted three plants to a pole, or every few inches along a trellis.

Soil and Fertilizer

Beans should not need fertilizer in well-amended soil; beans’ superpower is that their roots capture nitrogen from the air. If the plants are not growing well, use a vegetable fertilizer with more phosphorus and potassium than nitrogen, following the package directions.

Irrigation

Maintain even moisture, especially during bloom and bean formation. Beans have shallow roots; use frequent irrigation to keep them from drying out.

Harvesting

• Harvest every day or two to get the best flavor and encourage more beans to grow.
• Beans are ready when the pods are firm and smooth.

Additional resources

• Troubleshooting problems