Beans are a quintessential summer vegetable, and growing them offers a multitude of benefits to the home gardener: bean plants put out a glut of tender pods, they help improve the soil, and if grown vertically, they're space efficient.
Though they'll require a little more attention once they start producing pods, growing beans doesn't require much of the gardener for the majority of their life cycle. Read on for all the info you'll need to grow green beans from seed, including how to grow them in the ground or in containers, when to plant them, what type to plant, and how to know when beans are ready to harvest.
Skip Ahead: When to plant • Types of beans • Planting beans • Growing beans • Spacing • Plant care • Harvesting • FAQ
When to plant beans
Sow bean seeds after your last frost date, when the soil has started to warm. Alternatively, you can plant beans indoors or in a cold-frame two to four weeks before your last frost. Standard advice is to sow directly because beans' fragile roots can be damaged when transplanted. But oftentimes, this results in the shoots being eaten by rodents or army worms almost as soon as they emerge.
If you do sow bean seeds directly, give them some protection in the form of a cloche or floating row cover until the plants become established.
For a steady supply of beans all summer and fall, succession sow fresh seeds every three to four weeks, right up until two months before your first fall frost date.
Types of beans
Gardeners around the world grow many types of beans, and some of them are entirely different species. This guide covers how to grow green beans, also known as French beans, snap beans, string beans, or the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris).
Green beans come in two growth habits: pole and bush.
- Bush beans (Phaseolus vulgaris): Bush beans are varieties of green beans that are bred to grow up to two feet high and not require supports. They're also known as dwarf beans.
- Pole beans (Phaseolus vulgaris): Pole beans are any variety of green bean that has a vining habit. They require supports and can benefit from being tied in throughout the season. They're also known as climbing beans.
Gardeners in other parts of the world also commonly grow runner beans and broad beans, which are their own species.
- Runner beans (Phaseolus coccineus): Runner beans are cool-weather plants best harvested when the beans are young and tender. They're more popular in the UK and northern Europe, though the Scarlet Runner Bean is a popular choice among American gardeners for its bright orange flowers.
- Broad beans (Vicia faba): Broad beans can be eaten fresh, but they're also known as fava beans when the pods are left to dry. Though they can grow quite tall, they don't require supports.
How to plant beans
Bean seeds of all varieties are large and easy to plant. As a general rule, they want rich soil, full sun, and protection from predators for the first few weeks of their growth.
Here's what to do when planting green beans into raised beds, containers, or into the ground:
- Prepare the soil by amending it with plenty of compost and, if planting into compacted or clay soil, digging it over. If you're growing beans in raised beds, a standard raised bed mix with added compost will do.
- Get supports in place. If you're growing pole beans, it's important to secure their supports now so that you don't damage the plants' fragile roots later on. Use a trellis or construct a tripod that's at least seven feet tall using three or four stakes.
- Sow the seeds 1" deep, whether you're growing bush beans or pole beans. Space bush beans 3-4" apart in rows at least 18" apart. Space pole beans 2-4" apart, or in groups of three at each support base. (See below for more info on spacing.)
- Water them in generously to ensure good contact with the soil.
- Protect the seeds from pests by covering them with a cloche or floating row cover. Rodents tend to like to dig up the seeds, and many common garden inhabitants like to eat the young shoots.
- Succession sow every 2-4 weeks for a continued harvest throughout the summer, up until two months before your first frost date.
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How to grow beans
You should see seedlings emerge one or two weeks after sowing. If you sowed directly, leave the cloches or row covers protecting the seedlings until they're well established.
If you sowed seeds indoors, let them develop two or three sets of true leaves before gradually hardening them off in a sheltered area outdoors for two to four weeks.
From there, here's how to grow your beans on to harvest:
- Thin the seedlings. Once the first true sets of leaves emerge, thin bush bean seedlings to one plant every 6-8" and pole bean seedlings to one plant every 4-6" or one plant at each support base.
- Mulch to protect from late frosts, suppress weeds, and improve water retention in the soil.
- Water sparingly as the plants become established. Too much water as the plants start to grow will encourage abundant leafy growth, but fewer flowers.
- Top dress with compost if you see signs of nutrient deficiency. Otherwise, avoid fertilizing beans-- too much nitrogen will result in many leaves but few bean pods.
- Water thoroughly once a week after flowers appear.
Bean spacing
These spacing guidelines apply whether you're sowing beans directly or transplanting them from pots.
- Bush bean spacing: Space bush beans 2-4" apart in rows that are 18" to 3' apart. Plant them 1" deep in groups of three. Once the seedlings have two sets of true leaves, thin down to one seedling per group.
- Pole bean spacing: Space pole beans 3-4" apart in rows spaced at least 3' apart, or along the base of a trellis. If using a tripod (or wigwam), sow three beans at the base of each support. Once the seedlings have two sets of true leaves, thin down to one seedling per group.
Bean plant care
Beans are easy to grow once they are established. In fact, most of the work of growing beans of any variety is preparing the planting site and harvesting. When you're choosing a planting site and prepping it, here are the growing requirements to keep in mind:
- Soil: Beans need very rich, well draining soil. In fact, you can't really give them too much goodness. In raised beds, a standard raised bed mix combined 50/50 with compost is ideal. Beans planted into containers will need even more nutrition. If you're planting into the ground, dig down about a foot to break up any large clumps of soil and mix in compost or composted manure.
- Sun: Beans are full-sun plants, requiring 6-8 hours of sun daily.
- Water: Water beans when you sow the seeds or plant out the starts. From there, water sparingly to encourage the plants to produce flowers. Once they set flowers, give them a thorough soaking weekly to encourage the production of healthy, meaty pods and seeds.
- Fertilizing: Grown in well-prepared soil, beans shouldn't need to be fertilized. But if you do notice signs of nutrient deficiency, you can give the plants a hand by top-dressing with organic compost or a 5-10-10 fertilizer.
Harvesting beans
Green beans are ready to harvest when the pods are firm and can easily be plucked off the stem. The seeds should be defined through the pod, but not fully developed.
It's best to pick beans in the morning and as often as possible. Once the plants start producing beans, they'll keep on producing for a few weeks as long as you pick them regularly. Harvesting regularly also ensures that you'll get to the beans before they fully mature, at which point they become tough and unpleasant to eat.
Picking beans is best done by hand as it lets you gauge how ready they are. Simply pinch a pod at the base and snap it off of the stem, being careful not to let the skin tear. Alternatively, you can use sterilized scissors or pruners to cut them off.
How long does it take for green beans to grow?
Beans take between two and three months to grow. At that point, they'll start producing pods and will keep on producing until the stems start to turn woody after a few weeks. Bush beans typically take just under two months, whereas pole beans take just over two months to reach maturity.