HOW TO GROW: Bush type beans

[canesisters]

I wanted to start a few threads that would gather together the basic info on growing some basic garden veggies.

These are next on my list of things to plant. There is almost NO planting info on my seed packet ... so what do I do? Well I come to TEG and ask for help, of course!

I know that there a dozens and dozens of different types of beans, but since this is just the basics let's keep it simple to start off with.

I've heard that it's best to soak them overnight - is that true?
For beans that are bush type, how deep to plant? How close together can you get away with planting them?
What are some common pests/diseases? And what do you do about them?
How do you tell of the little pods are ready to pick?
Whats your favorite way to cook them?
How do you preserve them?

Ill have to check and see what varieties I have and come back with some specific questions.

 

[digitS']

I won't be able to answer all of your bush bean questions, Cane' but this veggie is often cited by gardeners as the easiest one for them to grow. Don't be too worried about bush beans - just go ahead and get 'em in the ground!

Many times, the recommendation is to use an inoculant with beans and peas. I don't feel the need to do that since another legume, alfalfa, was grown where I now have my big veggie garden. For others, sprinkling the inoculant along the row before planting should be an easy way to be sure that the seeds start off with the nitrogen-fixing bacteria that will help them grow. It doesn't hurt to give them a little fertilizer also, unless your garden has adequate fertility. They won't need much.

Sow the seed a little more than an inch, deep. You won't need to sow thickly because the seed usually germinate well but you want them growing about 6 inches apart. If you sow more thickly than that, go ahead and thin later. Double rows are often used for bush beans. It seems to help for them to grow like that so that they hold each other up. I am usually planting them in a 4' wide bed and I will run a string tied to short stakes around the bed later in their growth. That will keep the plants from falling into the path.

Bush beans are my "succession crop of choice" for planting. I will start the pole beans as early as I can be sure that no further frosts will occur. Bush beans are for later in my garden. Anything that might come out by early July, is likely to be followed by bush beans. I used to think that I could sow the seed right up to August 1st but those later sowing don't always work out with an early fall frost. Along with the continuing harvest of pole beans, I am just rolling in beans by late summer and early fall!

The plants get a little heavy as the beans begin to mature. My standard is to wait to pick them when they won't just go limp before I can get them into the kitchen . . . You also don't want the seed inside to develop too much. Of course, if it does, you can just shell those seeds out and toss the pod away. My pot of beans may have snap beans and these "shell beans" together. A little fried bacon, cut up small and - you got your beans !

This area used to be a place where bush beans were grown commercially and they still are a 100 or so miles south. They are just about the easiest thing for me to grow but they don't make a 2nd crop very well, sometimes. Some people pull the plants as they harvest them. I could just about do that since I don't want to leave them too long and won't need to go through them too often. The problem - spider mites. I suppose that I could spray for them, but those mites sure do like the old bean plants! Since a number of sowings are coming along, it is just easier for me to pull the plants.

Steve

 

[baymule]

Steve, are you saying you only get one picking from bush beans? Are we talking green beans or seed type beans? I am very intrested in this thread because I just planted my beans I got from Bluejay77. They were so darn pretty, I hated to cover them up with dirt. Will I get several pickings, or just one and then they fizzle out? .........I can see that I'm gonna need more seed........

 

[digitS']

I usually go thru the beans twice, maybe thrice. Some people don't bother with more than once. The commercial varieties are all geared for a single harvest.

Yes, they can re-bloom and make another crop but often don't have time in my garden, before frost.

They can be pretty horrible looking if it is a bad spider mite year and I leave them past their prime.

Steve

edited to add: green beans. i am sure i wouldn't go thru them more than once if they are for dry beans.

 

[majorcatfish]

years ago when we did plant bush beans it was blue lake and yellow wax, but now it's mainly blue lake pole and a few yellow bush, with my back it's just so much easier to pick the pole beans.

every year we will can countless cases of green beans of quarts and pints.
and of course we do a couple cases of 3 bean salad with the green and yellow.

as for picking..
5-6 inches........ yup a few get away
we prefer them small and tender.
and there is a good 3 pickings
and we can get 3 planting in a season, so it adds up....

as for cooking...
straight from the jar with a little butter,garlic,salt and pepper
green bean casserole
add to Shepard's pie
etc etc

would also hear what everyone else does with their beans as well......

 

[897tgigvib]

BayMule, the dry bean varieties are grown a bit differently than the snap bean varieties.

For the dry bean varieties, wait until each pod is fully ripe, that is, basically dry, and pick the basically dry pods. If you are having wet weather, pick them when almost fully dry ripe, and bring them in the house and set them single layered and separated on newspaper or paper plates or a towel or something at a dry room temperature spot and let them fully dry. Then separate them by hand, unless you have acres of them in which case there are other ways.

In other words, for dry bean varieties you will keep the plants going until frost or until they look like they are completely done.

The worry about such nightmares as spider mites, well, just don't give the mites their desired conditions. I never get them. Dry bean plants will look kind of bad by season end. That's normal.

For your snap bean varieties that you'll be saving some seed from, do basically the same thing, just leave some pods to ripen on say every other plant or so, and pick to eat the other pods when they are at the right stage.

So really, the only difference between growing for snap beans and growing for dry beans is in how you harvest them.

 

[seedcorn]

Just to keep you confused........

Planting depth, 3/4 inch +/- 1/4".
IF you need top end yields, use inoculum if beans haven't been grown in area for 7 years. Legume inoculum is a different strain and aren't interchangeable.
IF planting into hi organic soil, fertilizer is of limited value.
Beans are hi phosphorus, manganese, and potash users. Nitrogen makes more plant structure. Too much nitrogen, all plant, fewer beans. We're starting to see sulfur and zinc difficiences, but nothing home gardener should worry about.
If able, let soils warm up and dry before planting. Beans get attacked by 2 diseases in wet soils.
I plant 2X, by then I'm sick of them.

Now eating them.......I'm of the camp, pick them young and tender, although shelled beans with fatback is good.

I like them boiled with bacon, onions, garlic or steamed with B, O, & G. DD likes them lightly sauted in butter, garlic, onions and finished with soy sauce. And all time favorite is green bean casserole with fresh beans. Bet deep fried are good also-what isn't good deep fried?

 

[majorcatfish]

too even get you more confusing cansisters exactly what type of bean are you planning to grow???

 

[canesisters]

Planting depth, 3/4 inch +/- 1/4".
IF you need top end yields, use inoculum if beans haven't been grown in area for 7 years. Legume inoculum is a different strain and aren't interchangeable.
IF planting into hi organic soil, fertilizer is of limited value.
Beans are hi phosphorus, manganese, and potash users. Nitrogen makes more plant structure. Too much nitrogen, all plant, fewer beans. We're starting to see sulfur and zinc difficiences, but nothing home gardener should worry about.

I'm sure that seedcorn is trying to communicate with me... but I just can't understand... What is inoculum?


Major, I checked the sock drawer and I've got: Blue Lake Bush. I also have 3 others that don't say on the packet if they're bush or pole: Cherokee Trail Of Tears, Dragon Tongue, Ojo de Cabra. Also Old Homestead (Kentucky Wonder) but that's going to be for the pole bean thread.

 

[baymule]

Thanks Marshall!