How to Grow Green Beans

Woman standing in front of a garden full of beans and flowers

Hey y’all, today I’m going over the basics of how to grow beans. Specifically; green beans. Both pole and bush varieties.

Blue Lake bush beans and Kentucky Blue pole beans are my personal favorites. And I’ve been growing them for over 20 years.

Here are some of the things you need to know…

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The Soil

Green beans like slightly acidic soil, with a pH of around 6.5. You will need an area that is well drained and gets full sun.

I have grown in both the ground and raised beds, and in both cases, a tilled soil is ideal. For large garden areas, plowing or using a gas tiller is best. . For raised beds, an electric tiller or hand tiller are great. I will leave a few links to tiller options I would suggest at the end of this post.

Green beans do not need a richly composted soil or a lot of fertilizer. I usually till in Jobe’s Organic Fertilizer to the soil just before planting. And that’s it for the entire season. You could also just through in some aged black cow, or a thin layer of compost.

Planting

When planning how much to plant, keep in mind that the estimated yield from one bush bean plant is ½ a pound, and from a pole bean plant is 1 pound.

Direct sow after all danger of frost is passed.

Plant the seeds 1-2 inches deep, spaced 3 inches apart. It’s a good idea to space your rows 2-3 feet apart, when growing bush beans. Once the seeds germinate (in about 10 days), thin to 6 inches apart. In humid climates, like here in Florida, allow more space between plants for better air flow.

If growing a pole green bean, you will need some kind of trellis for the vine to climb. I’ve found that a cattle panel held up with a few t-posts works very well.

You can sow every 2 weeks for a continual supply of green beans.

Mulch

Once your plants are an inch or two tall, it’s a good idea to mulch them. It will help maintain moisture in the soil and keep weeds to a minimum.

Leaves, pine straw or grass clippings are the best options, but straw also works. Avoid dyed wood chips or hay that contains grass seeds.

Another good option is using a weed cloth. This is something that you’ll need to put down before planting. It works great, and is reusable. I like to use the ECOgardener fabric. You just cut a small hole, plant your seed, and the fabric allows for water and airflow to keep your soil and plants happy.

Water

Green beans need to be well watered, but you need to allow the soil to dry out between watering. Too much/too frequent water will result in root rot, and you will be able to tell because your plants leaves will turn yellow.

Pests

Like all vegetables, green beans have their own set of pest problems. But typically, the earlier in the season you’re planting, the less pests you’ll be dealing with.

If I’m having a problem early on, I like to use a neem oil spray. Mix a tablespoon of Neem oil with a tablespoon of Sal Suds, then mix that into a gallon of water in a pump sprayer. Lightly spray the plants every few days, or after a hard rain.

I stop using the neem oil after the plants set buds.

At that point, if there is a problem, I will either pick off the bugs by hand, or try to use a dusting of diatomaceous earth every few days. Applied only in the late evenings, after the pollinators are no longer out. And I’m careful not to get any on open buds or flowers, if possible.

Companion planting with plants that deter bugs is another great option. I like to surround the majority of my garden beds with marigolds. Mint, basil and lavender are other great pest management plants.

Harvest

Bush beans bear faster than pole beans, with your first harvest in 45-65 days. Pole beans will be 10-15 days longer.

Pick your green beans when they are young and tender, before fully developed. You want to harvest them before the beans inside appear to protrude through the shell.

Harvest often and enjoy them fresh, or you can lightly blanch your green beans and freeze them for later. If you have a large harvest, canning them is a great option.

You can store unwashed beans in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.