Phaseolus vulgaris

Cultivation

Sow directly to the regular spot or cultivate seedlings. Beans need warmer soil for successful germination (at least 8 °C (46 °F) for bush beans and more for pole beans). Pole beans should be sown in heaps, while this is not needed with bush beans. Put 6 to 10 grains of pole beans together in soil.

Distance between plants

Bush beans: 30-40 cm (12-15 in) between rows and one to two grains every 10 cm (4 in) in a row. Pole beans: 2 m (6.5 ft) between rows and at least 1 m (3 ft) between groups of plants in a row.

Location

Sunny, protected from wind.

Amount

Bush beans approx. 20 plants per person, pole beans approx. 5 plants per person.

Fertilization

Bush beans: they don’t need fertilization in good soil. Don’t use barn manure or home compost. Pole beans: small amounts of home compost or mature barn manure. Both varieties benefit in spring from algae brew. Keep the soil soft. If the plants get yellowish, they lack magnesium and magnesium foliage fertilizer should be used.

Watering

They need a lot of water, especially in the time of blooming. Water once or twice a week 20 cm (8 in) deep. Don’t water on leaves or blooms. Use organic mulch but be careful about the slugs underneath.

Bean’s good neighbors

Tomatoes, cucumbers, brassica vegetables, lettuce, celery, beetroot, Swiss chard, radicchio, sweet corn, spinach, radish, sage, savory.

Bean’s bad neighbors

Onion, leek, garlic, shallot, chives, pepper, basil, fennel, Florence fennel.

Diseases and pests

Beans anthracnose, beans rust, white mold, bacterial spots, bean weevil, lice, mites.

Bean’s storage

Pick the green beans regularly when needed and bean grains when they get dry. When storing, cut the plant off. Beans can be stored frozen for up to one year or kept as dry grains in paper or fabric bags.

Food

Pods and grains are edible and should be taken young and dry. Beans contain a lot of proteins, vitamins and minerals.

Important

Set up trellises from poles or strings for supporting pole beans. It is recommended to heap up the plants. Beans depend on the lengths of the day. Dry and hot air is not good for them; there is no remedy for this, but at least water well to keep the plants well until the temperatures get more beneficial.

Miscellaneous

If you pick pole beans regularly the plants keep blooming. Bush beans don’t need their own garden bed and can be planted together with cabbage, Savoy cabbage, cauliflower or potatoes.