Planting Beans: Guide to Growing Beans

Beans are a reliable supplier of many nutrients. We will show you how you can plant the healthy bean in your own garden.

In the garden let Growing French and Pole Beans. The bush bean is significantly smaller than the pole bean and is therefore particularly popular in small gardens. The pole bean is by far more demanding than the bush bean: it needs a lot of heat, a lot of space and good soil. On the other hand, runner beans are more productive than their smaller relatives.

When and how to plant beans

Both varieties of Phaseolus vulgaris, i.e. both bush and pole beans, should only be sown when the soil has warmed up enough and no more frost is to be expected. Mid-May is usually a good time to sow. In order to be able to harvest over a longer period of time, bush bean seeds can be planted at several times, for example offset by 14 days. Overall, sowing until mid-June is recommended. There is then a risk that the seedlings will dry up easily. The harvest time of pole beans is a little longer, which is why it is not absolutely necessary to stagger the beans.

Beans like light, humus-rich soil and a sunny, sheltered location. Bush beans grow even better than pole beans in partial shade. Before sowing, the soil is loosened well and some compost is worked in shallowly. The bean seeds are sown 3 cm deep and 15 cm from the next seed in the row. There should be a space of 40 cm between the rows. Often not all beans germinate, so to be on the safe side, two beans can always be planted directly next to each other. If both germinate, the weaker seedling can be pulled out and, if necessary, moved or disposed of on the compost.

Good planting neighbors for beans are cucumbers, Cabbage, salads and celery. savory and Nasturtium can have a protective effect on plants. Another possibility is the cultivation in a so-called Milpa bed, along with corn and squash. Leek plants like all types of onions and of course leek as garlic and peas should not grow next to beans.

Tip: Beans take quite a long time to reach their full size. Sow a few weeks before planting the bush bean seeds radish next to the future planting sites of the beans. These use the free space and can be harvested before the beans take over the entire site.

The name already suggests that runner beans need a climbing aid. This can be made of wood, aluminum, wire or other materials. For the best possible yield, each plant needs its own stake. If you want to grow two rows, two poles can always be leaned against each other and tied together. These and other options for leaning the poles against each other sometimes cast shadows on the plants and are therefore only an advantage in some gardens. In order for the bean plant to develop well, the seedlings must have enough water available.

When and how to plant beans

• Bean seeds are usually sown or about 3 cm deep in the ground
• Time for sowing is from around mid-May, when no more frost is to be expected
• Protect seedlings from snails and drought (water in the morning)
• French beans are less complicated, but have a shorter harvest period and are less productive
• Beans prefer sunny to semi-shady locations that are sheltered from the wind at best
• Beans grow well alongside savory, cucumbers, collards, lettuce, and celery
• They do not like leeks, garlic, onions and peas in their environment

Plant beans in the pot and on the balcony

Beans have a soil-improving value because, like all legumes, they fix atmospheric nitrogen in the soil. Actually, it is not the beans that do this, but so-called nodule bacteria that live in symbiosis with the beans. These bacteria get sugars from the beans and provide nitrogen in return. If the roots and the plant material remain on the bed after the bean harvest, this ensures a nitrogen enrichment in the soil after they decompose. In order to be able to take advantage of this positive effect, it is advisable for bed owners to plant beans in the bed. If you don't have a bed available, you can also sow beans there if the planters are large enough. Runner beans can make good use of the vertical space on balconies and even look good.

Caring for beans: watering and fertilizing

Watering is especially important for seedlings. Apart from that, more developed plants should also be protected from drought during dry periods. Unfortunately, bean sprouts are often eaten by snails eaten. Watering in the morning can help save them from nocturnal slug death.

When planting, you should make sure that the soil is enriched with sufficient nutrients. In a site with poor soil, you can top off the soil with mature compost or enrich it with a fertilizer with an organic long-term effect. With our Plantura organic tomato fertilizer create optimal conditions for your beans to grow from the outset. This not only has a positive and gentle effect on beans of all kinds, but also on the soil and the animals in your garden.

A detailed guide to Fertilizing beans you'll find here

Types and Varieties of Beans: A wide variety

When choosing the Type and variety of beans it is easy to lose track of the diversity. Due to the growth characteristics, the varieties of the common bean, the Phaseolus vulgaris, are divided into bush and pole beans. Their pods are usually greenish, but there are both bush and pole beans with yellow pods. This type of bean is also called wax bean. In addition, there are special types of bush and pole beans from which the entire pod is not prepared and eaten, as is usually the case, but only the bean kernels are harvested. These beans stay in the bed much longer, after all, the bean seeds have to ripen completely.

Typical varieties for using the bean kernels are, for example,Borlotto' or 'Canadian Wonder' (those are the typical red kidney beans). To complicate things a bit more, there are also the runner beans and the broad beans. Both have fleshier pods that are only eaten when harvested very young. If you wait longer, milk-ripe bean kernels or mature, dry bean kernels can be harvested from these types of beans. Runner beans ('white giants', 'prize winners') do particularly well in cooler, damp locations. A wide range of green and yellow bush and pole beans as well as Broad bean varieties you'll find here.

Harvesting beans: the right harvest time

The main harvest time for beans is in July and August. If the beans were planted later (possible up to the beginning of July), they can be harvested until October. Pole beans have a slightly longer harvest time compared to bush beans.

Break a bean in half: If it breaks easily and you get a clean break, the beans are probably ready to be harvested. Most of the time, the beans are not clearly visible on the pod at this point. The bean seeds inside the pod should not be larger than 1 cm. The younger the pods are harvested, the more tender the beans are. If you want to harvest bean seeds, you must of course wait for the (milk) maturity of the bean seeds. More tips about Harvesting and preserving beans you'll find here.

Storing and preserving beans

There are several ways to preserve and preserve beans. We introduce you to a few.

Freeze beans

Freezing is the most vitamin-friendly way of preserving beans. Contrary to popular belief, beans don't necessarily need to be blanched before freezing. Beans are washed and the ends trimmed before freezing. If the beans are to be used later for a stew, for example, you can cut them into smaller pieces before freezing.

Boil beans

Like many other vegetables, beans are traditionally boiled in jars with vinegar and sugar. This type of preservation has the advantage that when the jars are opened later, ready-to-eat beans can be served, for example as an accompaniment to dinner. However, the disadvantage of canning is that vitamins and flavor are lost.

Another way to preserve green beans for a shorter time is to pickle them. A recipe for pickling beans you'll find here.

drying beans

If you want to harvest grain beans (the varieties 'Borlotti' and 'Canadian Wonder' are well suited for this), should allow the beans to fully ripen and dry as long as possible in dry weather permit. To ensure that the beans are completely dry and have a good shelf life, they are Harvest for at least another two weeks in a dry place (e.g. on newspaper) spread out. Cans or jars are best for storage.

Having problems with aphids on your beans? Especially the Black bean aphid is often found on plants. We will show you how to successfully combat the pest.