Bean Growing Guide: Planting, Care, and Harvesting Tips

Beans are a staple vegetable for home gardens, offering a versatile and nutritious harvest. Whether you choose snap, shelling, or dry beans, understanding their growth habits and proper care techniques can ensure a successful and abundant crop.

Click here to access the complete Bean Growing Guide (PDF) for detailed information on soil preparation, planting, and long-term care.

Types of Beans and Their Growth Habits

• Bush Beans: Compact, early producers that don’t require support. Plant every 2 weeks for continuous harvest.
• Pole Beans: Indeterminate climbers that need a trellis and produce beans over a longer period.
• Runner Beans: Ancestors of modern pole beans, thriving in cooler climates.
• Snap Beans: Eaten with the pod while young and tender.
• Shell Beans: Harvested for the seeds inside the pod, such as soybeans and lima beans.
• Dried Beans: Stored after pods fully mature and dry on the plant.
• Yard Long Beans: Subtropical Asian varieties, best grown in hot climates.
• Half-Runner Beans: A blend of bush and pole bean traits, shorter vines but higher yields.

Best Growing Conditions for Beans

Soil and Temperature:

• Soil pH: 6.5
• Germination Temperature: 60°F minimum
• Optimal Growth Temperature: 70–80°F

Companion Planting:

• Good Companions: Carrots, cucumbers, cabbage, peas, rosemary, and parsley.
• Avoid Planting Near: Basil, kohlrabi, onions, and fennel.

Watering and Fertilization:

• Watering: Maintain consistent moisture using drip irrigation and mulch. Avoid overhead watering to reduce disease risk.
• Fertilization: Use a low-nitrogen fertilizer. Excess nitrogen promotes leaves over pods.

How to Plant and Grow Beans

Seed Sowing:

• When to Plant: Sow directly outdoors after the last frost when the soil reaches at least 60°F.
• Bush Beans: Plant every 2 weeks for a continuous harvest. Space seeds 2–4 inches apart in rows 18–24 inches apart.
• Pole Beans: Use a trellis or teepee support. Plant seeds 4–6 inches apart in a circle around supports spaced 6–8 inches from the poles.
• Inoculation: Coat seeds with a nitrogen-fixing Rhizobium bacteria inoculant to improve yields.

Growing and Maintenance:

• Support: Provide trellises for pole beans. Minimum height should be 6 feet, supported by stakes or Hortonova trellises.
• Mulching: Retain soil moisture and suppress weeds.
• Pest Prevention: Ensure proper spacing for good air circulation to reduce disease risks.

Harvesting Beans

Snap Beans:

• When to Pick: Harvest when pods are firm and snap easily, with small seeds inside.
• Storage: Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Best eaten within 4 days of harvest.

Shell Beans:

• When to Pick: When seeds inside the pods are fully formed but not dried.

Dried Beans:

• When to Pick: Once pods dry on the plant and beans rattle inside. If rain threatens, pull the entire plant and hang indoors to finish drying. Store dried beans in airtight containers in a cool, dark place.

Common Bean Pests and Diseases

Pests:

• Aphids: Colonize leaves and stems. Use yellow sticky traps or introduce beneficial insects like ladybugs.
• Cutworms: Protect seedlings with foil collars around stems.
• Mexican Bean Beetles: Handpick beetles or use organic insecticides.
• Spider Mites: Wash off with a strong water spray or apply organic insecticides.
• Corn Earworms: Use traps and beneficial insects for control.

Diseases:

• Blight: Causes brown spots on leaves and pods. Prevent with proper spacing and reduce humidity.
• Leaf Spot: Appears as irregular brown lesions. Use organic fungicides.
• Mosaic Virus: Causes mottled leaves and stunted growth. Control aphids to prevent spread.
• Blossom Drop: Results from high heat or excess nitrogen.

Pest Control Using Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

• Cultural Controls: Rotate crops annually, remove plant debris after harvest, and use row covers like Agribon AG15 to prevent pest invasions.
• Biological Controls: Introduce beneficial insects such as green lacewings and ladybugs.
• Organic Treatments: Use approved insecticides for specific pests and apply organic fungicides for diseases.

Why Grow Beans?

• Nitrogen-Fixing: Improves soil fertility for future crops.
• High Yield: Produces abundant harvests, especially with proper succession planting.
• Variety: Numerous types suitable for different tastes and growing conditions.
• Long-Term Storage: Dried beans can be stored for over a year.