How To Grow Organic Green Beans?

• Growing pole beans is a bit more labor intensive than growing bush beans (due to the fact they need to be trellised)
• Most gardeners agrees that if you’re growing pole beans you’ll produce a finer tasting, tender bean over a longer period of time than you would with bush beans

WHEN TO PLANT

• Pole Beans can be planted directly into the soil in the spring when soil temperatures reach 60F.

WHERE TO PLANT

• Pole Beans do best in a sunny location with well-drained soil rich in organic matter.

PREPARING THE SOIL

• For nutrient rich, well-drained soil, mix compost thoroughly into the soil as beans do not grow well in heavy soil
• Beans do well even when nitrogen levels are low
• Adding well-composted manure will increase production
• P (phosphorus) and K (potassium) levels can be moderate and pH levels can be as low as 5.0
• Ideal growth will occur at pH 6.0.

SEEDS AND GERMINATION

• Presoaking is not necessary when planting beans
• Presoaking in compost tea for 25 minutes can help the seed against disease
• If you choose to pre-soak for sprouting purposes, be careful as the bean sprout is delicate and you could damage the root
• Beans take approximately 7-10 days to germinate
• The use of row covers will accelerate the germination process by helping to maintain the correct soil temperature
• Bean seeds remain viable for 3 years

GETTING STARTED INDOORS (and transplanting)

• Beans generally do not transplant well
• If your area has a short growing season try starting them indoors in peat pots 4 weeks before your last frost date
• Pole beans take longer to mature than bush beans (10-11 weeks)
• Pole beans germinate in approximately 14 days

SOWING AND GROWING (Planting seeds directly into the garden)

• Plant the first crop at least 2 weeks after last expected frost
• The air temperature should be about 70°F
• Pole beans are particularly sensitive to cold
• Row spacing 3’-4’
• Plant double or triple rows (for trellising) at 1’
• Seeds depth 2”
• Plant spacing 10″
• When using a teepee structure, plant hills 3’-5’ apart, and sow 6-8 seeds per hill, later thinning plants to 3-4 per hill
• Set your supports directly after young plants appear
• To increase bean production (up to 3X that of bush beans), train your pole beans
• Maintain bean health by using a good liquid organic leaf spray every 14 days.

WATERING

• Be careful not to over-water seeds
• Soggy, cold soil will cause your seeds to rot before they have a chance to germinate
• Pole beans prefer an increasing water supply throughout the growing season
• Keep water levels low at planting, moderate at flowering, and heavy during production

COMPANION PLANTING / ROTATION

• Crops such as corn benefit from the nitrogen-fixing qualities of beans
• When beans are rotated after corn they provide an excellent nitrogen amendment after corn’s heavy summer usage
• Bad companions include cabbage, onion family, kohlrabi and sunflower
• Rotation of crops: Follow corn; don’t follow peas, or bush beans

WHEN TO HARVEST

• Picking beans begins when beans are tender
• Harvest beans when no larger than a pencil
• Seeds should not yet be seen forming inside the pod
• Harvesting daily encourages a greater harvest
• The more you pick, the more you get, and the longer your growing season

STORAGE

• Refrigeration gives beans a week of freshness
• Once production passes your consumption you may preserve your beans by canning, pickling, or freezing

COMMON PESTS AND PROBLEMS

• Pest and problems in Pole Beans are varied
• Most problems with beans are avoided when the soil is loosened via composted material and properly pH balanced
• Contact your county extension for specific information for your area

SAVING SEEDS

• Beans are self-pollinating . Some growers claim that beans and other legumes can be planted side by side and not cross-pollinate, while others have experienced up to 25% cross-pollination
• The percentage of cross-pollination depends on a number of factors: pollen-carrying insect population (such as bees), the quantity of nectar sources in the area, and the type of flower on the bean plant (larger flowers attract more pollinating insects)
• To be safe, do not plant bean varieties right next to each other especially in desert and mountainous areas where pollen sources are sparse
• Harvest seeds when the pods turn brown and the seeds rattle inside. The pods should be dry enough to break open and the seeds fall free
• If you have a rainy spell and your beans need to dry, cut the whole plant off at the ground and hang them upside down in a warm place to dry
• When drying is complete, put the shelled beans in an air tight, or lidded container and store in a dry, cool place for next years planting. They should keep up to 3 years

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