The green bean is a tender, warm season vegetable ranking second in popularity to tomato in home gardens. It is easy to grow with little care. The green bean is also known as a snap or string bean. These will grow from the support of a pole, fence or along the ground in a ‘bush’ form.

Planting

Beans are sensitive to cold temperatures. Plant after ALL frost for the year is over. Do not soak bean seeds before planting. Instead water just after planting or plant right before a heavy rain. Plant seeds one inch deep.

Plant seeds of bush beans 2 to 4 inches apart in rows at least 18 to 24 inches apart. Plant seeds of pole beans 4 to 6 inches apart in rows 30 to 36 inches apart. Continue planting into the first week of August for a full crop.

Care

Beans have shallow roots and frequent shallow cultivation and hoeing are necessary to control small weeds and grasses. Because bean plants have fairly weak root systems, deep, close cultivation injures the plant roots and thus yields less beans.

Bright yellow or brown spots on the leaves or water-soaked spots on the pods are signs of bacterial bean blight. Bacterial blight is best controlled by planting disease-free seed; avoiding contact with wet bean plants; and removing all bean debris from the garden.

Harvesting

Harvest when the pods are firm, crisp and elongated. Pick beans only when thoroughly dry. The bean plant continues to form new flowers and produces more beans if pods are continually removed before the seeds mature. Pick with care to ensure more flowering.

Did You Know...

Beans have been cultivated in Mexico for over 7,000 years

Some varieties are yellow

Green Beans are actually immature Given two nicknames: Snap bean (snaps when broken) and string bean (fibrous string along the seam)

When they are hot they will continue to cook themselves