Bean
Phaseolus vulgaris. Beans share their botanical ancestry with legumes like lentils, peas, and chickpeas, all belonging to the Fabaceae family. Beans present in a diverse range of cultivars, from classic green beans to kidney, black, and navy beans. Renowned for their pod-bearing nature, beans offer a rich nutritional profile and versatile culinary uses. Their tender pods or seeds, depending on the variety, provide a satisfying texture and mild, earthy flavor. Whether served as a side dish, added to soups and stews, or featured in salads, beans remain a staple in cuisines worldwide. Bean plants can be bush or pole varieties. Bush plants have a bushy growth habit. Pole plants have a vining growth habit which needs to be trellised.
Starting Seeds
Bean seeds germinate best in warm soil temperatures. The ideal range for germination is between 60°F (15°C) and 85°F (29°C). However, the optimal temperature is around 70°F to 80°F (21°C to 27°C).
Bean seeds can be started indoors if you have a very short growing season, but they are best direct sown, and because they grow so fast, it’s really unecessary to start seeds indoors.
When to Plant Out
Beans are best grown when direct sown although careful transplanting can be accomplished. Beans should be direct sown or transplanted outdoors after the last expected frost date once the weather has warmed, and the soil temperatures consistently reach at least 50°F (10°C) or warmer.
Light
Full sunlight: at least 6-8 hours a day.
Space
Sow seeds every 2-4″ apart. Be sure to check the seed packet for specifics on your variety’s size.
Temperature
Beans generally prefer growing temperatures between 60°F and 80°F (16°C to 27°C). Temperatures below 40°F (4°C) may halt growth or result in damage to the plant. Beans are not hardy and will be killed by frost.
Water
Keep the soil consistently moist. Water at the base of the plants to keep the foliage dry and reduce the risk of diseases.
Pruning
Beans generally do not require pruning.
Harvesting
When growing fresh beans, such as green beans, harvest beans as soon as they reach the desired size. Leaving beans on the plants too long will reduce the overall crop. When growing dry beans, leave bean pods on the plant until the entire plant has matured and dried up.
Propagation
Beans are propagated from seeds. Seeds can be saved from pods that have dried up.
Other Considerations
Beans are known as one of the three sister plants, along with corn and squash. Consider growing pole beans with plants that they can climb up like corn.
Beans are commonly referred to as nitrogen fixers, although this is a misnomer. Beans have a symbiotic relationship with certain bacteria, particularly those belonging to the genus Rhizobium, that live in nodules on their roots. These bacteria have the ability to convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form that the plant can use, namely ammonia. This process, known as nitrogen fixation, enables beans to thrive in nitrogen-poor soils. Note, not all soils have this bacteria present, so you should not assume that beans will grow in poor soil. Amend soil as necessary for proper nutrients prior to planting beans.