The more pods you harvest, the more these plants will produce.
As a bonus, green beans are one of the easiest vegetables to grow at home.
This vertically trained growing habit means you save space in your vegetable garden.
Credit: Scott Little
How and When to Plant Green Beans
The green bean growing season is a long one.
Pole beans produce for a month or two when they are regularly harvested.
Green beans are easy to grow from seed planted directly in the garden.
Credit: Scott Little
Bean seeds germinate poorly when planted too early.
Sow seeds every three weeks or so until the end of June to provide a prolonged harvest.
Green Bean Care Tips
Green beans are easy to grow when their basic requirements are met.
Credit: Scott Little
Light
Green beans growbest in full sunfor six to eight hours a day.
They will grow in partial sun, but the yield is substantially reduced.
Soil and Water
Green beans thrive in fertile, well-draining soil.
Credit: Scott Little
If the garden soil is poor,amend it with compost or other organic material.
Avoid overwatering, which can lead to root rot.
Temperature and Humidity
Green beans are a warm-weather crop.
Credit: Scott Little
Don’t plant the seed until the soil reaches at least 55F.
The crop grows best in temperatures of 65F to 85F.
Fertilizer
Apply alow-nitrogen fertilizermonthly during the growing season, such as a 5-10-10 formation.
Credit: Bill Stites
Pruning
Green beans need no pruning, but harvesting the beans frequently encourages additional bean production.
Taller pole beans require a much bigger container and a trellis or support.
Use amended garden soil or potting soil and place the container in an area that receives full sun.
Credit: Scott Little
The plants will die when winter arrives, so repotting is unnecessary.
Both deer and rabbits enjoy munching on green beans.
you might control these pests with organic insecticides or pick larger beetles off the plants by hand.
Credit: Jay Graham
When the pods turn completely brown or brownish-yellow and they rattle when shaken, they are ripe.
Pick the pods and put them somewhere dry.
The seeds will be ready to plant in the ground in spring after the weather warms.
Credit: Illustration by Gary Palmer
For bush beans, that is about 45-55 days after planting, while pole beans take 55-65 days.
‘Derby’ Bean
Phaseolus vulgaris’Derby' bean produces tender, 7-inch-long pods that are easy to harvest.
The plants resist disease well.
Credit: Illustration by Gary Palmer
‘Roc d’Or’ bears 6-inch-long yellow pods 52 days after planting.
It is a different species (Phaseolus coccineus) than snap beans.
It’s most often grown for its ornamental value, but it also produces tasty shelling beans.
Credit: Illustration by Gary Palmer
Here’s how to enjoy these late-season treats by planting some fall garden vegetables.
Summer Vegetable Garden Plan
Enjoy summer’s finest flavors with this fun and easy garden plan.
This arrangement offers tons of color and texture as well as variety in flavors.
All you need is a spot that gets six or more hours of sunshine each day.
Shelling beans can be harvested after the seeds have reached full size, about 80 days after planting.
Dried beans take approximately 100-120 days to reach maturity.
Green bean blossoms decrease when the temperature reaches 90F or higher.
Don’t plant green beans near garlic, onions, chives, leeks, scallions, or shallots.
These alliums will stunt the growth of the beans.
