What is the planting distance?

When are French beans sown?

French beans are very warm. They do not germinate at all below 8 ° C soil temperature. It is therefore advisable not to sow or plant French beans outdoors until mid / late May or early June. You can even plant French beans in July and then harvest in late summer.
in the Glasshouse or in Cold frame you can sow French beans as early as April.

How are French beans sown?

There are several dimensions to consider when sowing French beans:

• Sowing depth: 3 to 4 cm
• Plant spacing: 30 to 40cm
• Row spacing: 40cm

The optimal planting distance varies slightly depending on the Broad bean variety. It is best to read the packaging to find out what distance is recommended. If in doubt, choose 40cm.

Not all beans always germinate. If your seeds are older, there are two ways to make sure that there are no gaps in your French bean bed: First, you can prefer your French beans at home. This has the advantage that you can ensure optimal temperatures so that the French beans germinate faster. Read more about germination times and germination temperatures

here.
Or you can sow a bean every 15 to 20 cm and prick out your plants as soon as they are a few centimeters tall. You can plant the excess plants in an extra row or on the compost heap if you don't want to throw them away.

Ideal site conditions for the French beans

Bush beans need sun, humus-rich, loose soil and a location that is as sheltered from the wind as possible. Since French beans are only half a meter high, they do not need any Climbing aid.

This is how you go about sowing

Before you sow your French beans, you should dig up the soil thoroughly and, if necessary, add a little compost to it. Then stretch a rope lengthways across your bed on which you will align the plants. Make sure that you keep a distance of at least 15 cm from the bed edge. With the help of a tape measure and a stick or something similar, drill a 3 cm deep hole in the earth every 30 to 40 cm. The best way to keep the planting depth is to mark the 3cm on the stick. Then put the seeds in, cover them with soil and water your French beans.