Green Bean

Green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), also called snap beans or string beans, are a warm-season vegetable in the bean family, native to the tropical Americas. They come in low bush types, tall climbing pole types, and half-runners that grow somewhere in between. They grow quickly and can give large harvests with little attention, so it’s no surprise they’re one of the most popular vegetables for home gardens, and an easy one to grow.

Wait for warm soil. Bean seeds don’t sprout well in cold soil, and even a light frost kills the plants. Sow after the danger of frost has passed, once the soil is at least 60 °F (16 °C) about 4 inches (10 cm) down. In the UK that’s usually late May or early June.

Sow seeds straight into the garden. Green beans don’t need to be started as transplants. Gardening experts and gardening experts sow them about 1 inch (2.5 cm) deep, while gardening experts go a little deeper, 5 cm (2 in). Seedlings usually appear in 7 to 10 days in soil of 65–85 °F (18–29 °C), and gardening experts give 70–90 °F (21–32 °C) as the best soil temperature for germination. For an earlier crop, you can also sow in pots indoors and plant the young beans out after the last frost.

Pick a sunny spot. Beans need full sun and fertile, well-drained soil: at least 6 hours of direct sun a day, and ideally 8 to 10.

Bush or pole? Bush beans stay compact and need no support, while pole beans climb and need a trellis at least 6 to 8 feet (1.8–2.4 m) tall. Pole beans generally give higher yields over a longer period in less space.

Growing in pots. Dwarf (bush) beans need a container at least 30–45 cm (12–18 in) wide. Climbing beans need one at least 75 cm (30 in) wide and 45 cm (18 in) deep.

Keep the harvest coming. For a steady supply, sow a new batch every 2 to 3 weeks through midsummer.

Watering. Beans are thirsty plants, especially once they flower and start forming pods. The most important time for moisture is while pods set and develop. Water deeply rather than often, wetting the soil about 6 inches (15 cm) down, and water in the morning so the leaves dry before dark. Containers dry out quickly, so water them regularly.

Feeding. Beans have a medium need for nutrients. Too much nitrogen delays flowering, and extra feeding during the season usually isn’t necessary. In containers, give a high-potassium liquid feed such as tomato feed every two weeks once the first flowers appear.

Weeding. Keep weeds down, especially in the first six weeks after planting. Pull them by hand or hoe shallowly so you don’t damage the bean roots.

In US gardens, common insect pests include Mexican bean beetles, thrips, aphids, corn earworms and stink bugs, and common diseases include root rot, rust and gray mold. Choosing varieties resistant to bean common mosaic virus and anthracnose helps. In the UK, seedlings and young plants are vulnerable to slugs and snails, and black aphids can colonize the shoot tips.

Weather causes problems too. Planting in soil below 60 °F (16 °C) greatly reduces germination. In hot spells above 90 °F (32 °C), plants may drop their flowers, but they usually start setting pods again when the weather cools.

Most bush snap beans are ready 50 to 60 days after sowing. Pole beans take longer, about 60 to 110 days. Pick the pods while they’re tender, before you can see the seeds bulging inside; ready pods snap easily. Gardening experts suggest picking at 15–20 cm (6–8 in) long.

Pick regularly to keep the plants producing, and harvest in the early morning for the best quality.

Beans are best eaten soon after picking. They keep for up to a week in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator. Beans also freeze well: trim and snap them, blanch for one minute in boiling water, cool them in ice water, then drain thoroughly before freezing.

Gardening experts list the seeds as the poisonous part of the bean plant: raw or undercooked beans, especially kidney beans, can cause severe nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, which usually passes within a few hours. Young green bean pods picked before they ripen are tender and can be eaten cooked or raw.