How to Grow Beans

Beans are a great crop to grow in the garden. For newbie gardeners, beans can be a first crop of choice as they are pretty easy to grow. In a short time after planting seeds, you can already see bean sprouts which is always rewarding to me, as I love seeing new growth popping out from the soil…gives me hope that I’m on the right track

Types of Beans

There are many types of beans to choose from – string beans, yellow beans, green beans or even purple king. First, decide on the type of bean that you want to plant. Note that beans should be grown on the summer months but if weather conditions permit, you can plant it even during spring. Just be aware that they hate cold so if you are still getting some late frosts in your area, make sure they are protected. I have used a fleece tunnel on my beans to keep them warm.

Preparation

Before planting, prepare the soil using a garden fork and add a compost mix. Other than that, beans do not really need fertilizer, actually give ‘em too much fertilizer and their growth will be concentrated on leaf growth and not so much on the flowering. Still, beans require a lot of moisture so water them regularly. Seeds should be planted at a depth of 1 inch. Keep a distance of 2 to 4 inches between the seedlings.

Pests & Solution

Beans are pretty resistant to most pests. Aphids can be a nuisance causing sooty mould. Keeping the ladybug population high can help with aphid problems.

When to Harvest

The harvest really depends on the type of beans you planted. Some beans you need to harvest when they are still young. Others, you have to wait until they mature. For some varieties of beans, you can harvest every week. You can even keep some beans for the seeds for next planting season. Just be sure to keep it in a cool, dry, and dark place.

For more about gardening tips for growing beans, here are some interesting articles you can read as well:

• Growing Beans Guide how to grow beans in your garden | Gardening – When the weather warms, beans will go from seed to table in 60 days. The biggest problem is deciding which of the many kinds to grow of the many types of beans.

• How to Grow: Beans – How to Growing – Learn how to grow beans including different vegetable varieties, planting, fertilizing, weeding, watering, pest control and cooking.