Garden beans: Cultivation of bush and pole beans

Garden beans are not only rich in protein and therefore particularly healthy. They taste delicious and growing them in your own garden is easy with our tips.

Even if you don't think so from the pure form, but garden bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus) represent two different types of beans. Garden beans are more commonly referred to as green beans, bush beans or pole beans.

In addition to the broad bean, the garden bean is one of the vegetable protein suppliers. The grains of the kidney bean contain an average of 21% protein, surpassed by the broad bean with up to 30%. Only

soybeans top this protein content. The soybean trend has probably also caused the decline in bean consumption in Germany. But it doesn't always have to be the soy product from overseas. Because the garden bean grows very well in the local garden. This may also be a reason why this type of bean was voted Vegetable of the Year 2004 by the Association for the Preservation of Crop Diversity.

growing kidney beans

The garden bean likes it sunny and warm. Half-shady locations can also be chosen. Here, however, the harvest is later, which can become a problem if you want to grow the bean as a previous crop. If you sow the beans early, you can plant more vegetables after the summer harvest. This vegetable must be suitable as a subsequent crop. A big advantage of the garden bean as a previous crop is that it binds nitrogen from the air in its root area. To be more precise, this is done by bacteria with which the kidney bean and other so-called legumes live in a symbiosis.

The soil should be loose and rich in humus. Our peat-free Plantura is particularly suitable for growing beans Organic tomato & vegetable soil. This ensures an optimal supply of nutrients. As a result, beans no longer have to be fertilized. Regular watering on dry spring days is much more important.

It is best to sow the beans from mid-May. The young plants do not tolerate frost. If you want to grow the garden bean as a previous crop in Germany, the plants on your own windowsill should be preferred. No matter in which of the two cases, the grains are put 5 cm deep into the ground. If the plants are already 10 to 15 cm tall and already outdoors, some soil can be piled up around the plants. Moisture is better stored in the soil and, above all, the plants gain stability. From this size, runner beans also need a climbing aid. You can either buy these or make them yourself from bamboo or hazelnut shoots. The need for one climbing aid makes the cultivation of runner beans more complicated than that of bush beans, which thrive without further growth aids.

Haricot Varieties

In the case of garden beans, the growth habit is used to narrow down the varieties. This is how the (in)determinate beans are popularly called bush beans because they have limited growth. The strong-growing, weakly to strongly twining types are usually referred to as pole beans. In technical jargon, filet beans (fleshy pod that can be eaten), core beans (seeds dried until further processing) and cod beans, which are suitable for the first two uses come.

A comprehensive overview of each Haricot Varieties you'll find here.

Bush bean varieties

• amethyst: violet colored pods, stringless and high-yielding; compact growth allows cultivation on the balcony.
• mountain gold: French bean with a yellow, stringless pod; tried and tested variety with good aroma and compact growth.
• Bluevetta: violet-black pods; intensely good taste.
• Borlotto (rosso): conspicuous red-white speckled pods with red-brown cores; good for drying; late ripening.
• Borlotto di Vigevano: very productive variety; mottled cream-red; threadless.
• Brittle Wax: early ripening, light yellow variety with light black speckled kernels; good taste.
• Brown Dutch: exceptional variety with green pods and coffee-brown seeds.
• Fleshy Wax: golden yellow, stringless variety with light cores.
• Purple Teepee: dark purple and stringless variety; very aromatic; 15cm long and aromatic pods.
• Speedy: very early maturing bush bean variety with rich green pods; good resistance to burn and grease stains.

pole beans–sorts

• blue hilde: stringless, dark purple runner bean with a very aromatic taste; robust growth and resistant to various diseases.
• Anellino Giallo: Late-ripening, Italian variety with golden-yellow pods and red seeds with small white speckles; visually very striking, since the sleeve is clearly curved (partially semi-circular).
• Borlotto Lingua Di Fuoco 3: Italian variety with fiery red and slightly speckled pods; cream-colored cores with red speckles.
• Eve: early-ripening, green-podded runner beans with very long pods (up to 30cm); productive and very aromatic.
• goldmarie: one of the earliest yellow-podded pole beans; stringless and fleshy with good aroma; robust growth.
• Mombach bacon: early-ripening and high-yielding variety with green pods; a classic that has stood the test of time.
• Neckarqueen: traditional and very productive variety with a delicate texture and good taste; light green, very long pods; robust and resistant to the mosaic virus.
• Smeraldo: runner beans with very long and very wide pods; light green; early ripening and very good taste.

Harvesting and storage of kidney beans

Depending on sowing, location and climate zone, the beans can be harvested outdoors from the end of June, the later varieties until October. If you want to save yourself the search when harvesting, you should use varieties that form pods above the foliage. This way you can quickly see which pods are ready to be harvested and picking them becomes correspondingly easier. The earlier you harvest the pods, the more tender they are. Especially in the case of varieties that are not stringless, they should be harvested while they are still tender and have not developed any strings. This also promotes renewed fruiting.

The pods can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days. If you harvest more than you can use, the surplus pods can also be frozen. Some prefer to soak the pods in acidic water. In our opinion, however, this dilutes the fine taste of the kidney bean too much. Another method that has been somewhat forgotten is drying. The pods are therefore more durable and can be used particularly well for stews and soups.

Constituents and uses of kidney beans in the kitchen

The kernels of French and pole beans contain a lot of protein. In addition, the pods and kernels also contain minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron as well as a number of vitamins (A, B, C, E) and amino acids. Therefore, the beans should not be boiled or fried for an excessively long time. It also contains carbohydrates, some of which cannot be broken down by humans. These polysaccharides can also cause bloating.

Beans should generally not be eaten raw as they are slightly toxic in this state. Either boil the pods in hot water for about 10 minutes (add some salt!) or fry the pods with a little water and fat. Beans are suitable for all kinds of dishes: as an accompaniment to salads, with hearty dishes such as grilled steaks or roasts or in soups.

Common pests and diseases in kidney beans

Growing beans in your own garden is a lot of fun. Nevertheless, the plants should be checked regularly for diseases and pests.

Burn and grease spot disease manifests itself as black spots or translucent, waxy/fatty spots on foliage. If the fungal infestation can no longer be contained, the affected plant should be disposed of directly in the residual waste. No more beans should be planted in the same location for at least three to four years. The pathogen can survive in the soil for a number of years and trigger a new infection.

bean fly (phorbia platura) lays their eggs on plants. The maggots attack seeds and young seedlings, which result in significant growth problems. An infestation can be prevented. First, beans should not be grown after a previous crop of spinach or potatoes. No beans should be sown or planted on freshly mucked soil. The smell of manure is known to attract flies, including the bean fly. Young plants can be covered with a vegetable protection net. If you prefer the beans on the windowsill and first plant larger plants in the bed, an infestation with the bean fly is unlikely. Insecticides can also help with an infestation. However, whether you want to use these pesticides in your home garden should be carefully considered.

Beans can also suffer from the mosaic virus. This is transmitted by aphids, for example, which is why you should act quickly in the event of a lice or insect infestation. Affected leaves turn yellowish. In the more advanced stage, light to dark green discoloration develops on the leaves. The virus cannot be fought directly. Either you use resistant, newer varieties or you try to fight the carrier (sucking insects).

Bean rust, a fungal disease, can be seen on the underside of the leaf. White-yellowish pustules form here. The infestation worsens and eventually the affected plants lose their leaves. It is also sometimes possible for the bean rust to jump over onto the pods. In general, pole beans are more affected than bush beans. After an infestation, the climbing aid should either be set aside for a few years or disinfected with industrial alcohol.