Beans Growing Guide
Bean are truly delicious! Botanically, they belong to the group of plant foods known as legumes. All legumes are members of a family of flowering plants called Fabaceae, also known as Leguminosae, which boasts over16,000 species. These nutritional powerhouses are packed with protein, folate, iron, magnesium, fiber, and complex carbohydrates, making them an essential addition to both your garden and your plate. Thriving in nearly every climate, beans are very easy to grow. They were a staple for Native Americans, who skillfully cultivated them alongside corn and squash in their legendary three sisters method!
How to Grow Beans
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Plant any time after the last spring frost date, when the soil has warmed to at least 48°F.
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For fall planting, wait until the hottest part of the summer has passed to sow your seeds. When temperatures get above 90°F – 95°F, beans will drop their blooms and not produce.
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Beans need soil that has a neutral pH between 6.0 pH and 7.0 pH
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Seeds can be planted directly in the soil. They can be sowed indoors, just be sure to carefully remove them from containers as to not disturb roots.
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For good yields of tender roots, irrigate appropriately and make sure that your soil is healthy with good biology.
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Depending on the variety, beans can take any where from 50 days to 85 days to produce beans
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Choose a location in full sun to plant beans. They need at least 6 hours of sunlight.
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Beans grow well in containers, just make sure that the container is deep enough, at least 18 inches, to accommodate the roots and that the container is big enough so that there is sufficient room around each bean plant as it grows.
Common Bean Varieties
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Common beans: snap, kidney, black, pinto, white, and navy beans
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Soybeans: edamame is used to make products like tofu and soy milk
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Chickpeas: also known as garbanzo and used to make hummus
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Peas: garden, split-green, and split-yellow peas
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Peanuts: used to make peanut butter, often boiled
Our Favorite Beans To Grow
There are many varieties bean varieties to choose from. These are some of our favorite beans that we love to grow.
Plant Spacing
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Sow seeds 1 inch deep and 2-4 inches apart.
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Sow in rows 12-18 inches apart.
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Ideal germination temperature is 70-80 F.
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Seeds germinate in 5-8 days.
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Keep seedlings moist but not soaked.
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Sow directly into soil the late April after last frost date and succession plant through early June and again in September for a fall harvest.
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If needed thin to 4 inches apart.
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Succession plant bush varieties every three weeks if you want especially if you are wanting to preserve the harvest by either canning or freezing/freeze drying.
Soil and Irrigation
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Soil should be well draining with a pH above 6.0
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Beans of all kinds are nitrogen fixing legumes that can fertilize the soil for you! Check out our blog on how they do this!
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As a general rule, beans require at least 1/2″ of water per day during the blooming period and water every day.
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Using drip irrigation is preferable as this helps to keep the soil moist at appropiate levels.
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Consistent watering is essential. If the ground gets to dry the plant will not grow to its full potential.
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Watering well and consistently after planting is going to be the most important thing for adequate germination.
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Beans grow best in looser well drained soils. Clay soils need to be amended with compost and organic matter to break up clay. This will make it easier for the roots to push through the soil.
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Amending the soil with good compost and organic matter will ensure that it is loose enough for the roots to grow. This needs to be done well ahead of planting.
Benefits of Beans
Beans are loaded with a ton of nutrients that pack quite a nutritional punch. Beans are low in fats and high in protein, fiber (both soluble and insoluble), folate, potassium, magnesium and iron to name a just a few. Given its powerhouse of nutrition it's no wonder this humble vegetable is the focus of a multitude of research studies focusing on its healing powers. 100g of raw green beans contains: 0.28g fat, 3g fiber, 40mg Calcium, 0.65mg Iron and 28.2mg of Magnesium. (1)
Metabolic Health
Research suggests beans are recognized as a major plant-based protein and that beans and legumes are an excellent source of complex carbohydrates and soluble fiber and tend to positively affect glucose control. It has been shown that combining beans (pinto, kidney, or black beans) with rice attenuates postprandial glycemic response in adults with Type 2 Diabetes. Beans have a low glycemic index, making them an ideal food for management of blood glucose and insulin resistance as well as a positive influence on controlling blood pressure.
Heart Health
A long time research study concluded that people who consume legumes 4 times or more per week compared with less than once a week were associated with a 22% lower risk of Coronary Heart Disease and an 11% lower risk of developing Cardio Vascular Disease. The study concluded that there existed an indicates a significant relationship between heart disease and recommended increasing legume in the diet as an important part of a dietary approach to preventing of Coronary Heart Disease and Cardio Vascular Disease. Simply put, beans can help reduce your risk of stoke, heart attack, heart failure and heart disease.
Weight Management
Combined with other plant-based lifestyle choices research suggests that bean consumers had better overall nutrient intake levels, better body weights and waist circumferences, and lower systolic blood pressure in comparison to those who do not eat beans. Research supports the benefits of bean consumption on improving your waistline!
Cancer Prevention
According to recent research people with high legume (peas, beans, lentils) consumption have a low risk of cancer and chronic degenerative diseases. Common beans are known as a rich, reliable source of non-digested compounds like fiber, phenolics, peptides and phytochemicals that are associated with health benefits. Emerging evidence indicates that common bean consumption is associated with reduced cancer risk. By increasing the daily consumption of a wide variety of common beans is a practical strategy to optimize health and reduce the risk of cancer.
Disclaimer: This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and it is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. For educational purposes only.
Harvesting, Preserving, and Storing Beans
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Beans can be harvested twice a year as long as the plant is producing. Succession planting every three weeks from May through June extends harvests.
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On the back of the seed packet is the number of days it will take for beans to be ready for harvest. This can be anywhere from 50 days to 85 days depending upon variety.
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Typically you want to harvest your beans when they have achieved their desired length.
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Harvest green beans for canning, freezing, or freeze drying when they are tender and crisp when snapped. The beans will be the crispest when picked in the morning.
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Bush beans have a shorter period of growth normally 50 - 60 days so you will get a larger harvest at once, making them ideal for canning and storing.
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Pole beans have a longer growing time allowing them to harvested one the growing season. This makes them ideal for fresh eating. They are still able to be canned. We can both pole and bush varieties.
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Beans can be dehydrated or freeze dried and stored appropriately for use in your favorite recipes.
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Make sure you inspect bean pods for any diseases or pests. If you see any compromised pods, be sure to discard them to avoid any issues while storing.
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Allow common beans to "dry" on the plant for harvesting dry beans or for saving seed. The pod will have begun to turn brown and seeds will rattle in their pods. Continue drying for about one week after harvesting.
Dealing with Common Bean Pests
As passionate gardeners, we understand the excitement of nurturing our plants, but we also know that pesky pests can be a challenge! That’s why we compiled a list of the most common pests that might be lurking around your crops. Let’s conquer these challenges together and keep our gardens thriving!
Aphid
Aphids are small, 1/16- to 1/8-inch-long (2-4 mm), pear-shaped, soft-bodied insects. They can range in color from green, black, red, yellow, brown or gray.
Symptoms:
Symptoms of severe aphid feeding include twisted and curled leaves, yellow foliage, stunted or dead shoots, poor plant growth.
Mosaic virus in beans is caused by Aphids.
Leaf Miner
The term "leafminer" is used to refer to the larvae of the leaf miner fly that develops and feeds inside the leaves of plants.
Symptoms:
Damage occurs in both the upper and lower sides of the leaves. Leafminer larvae form visible tunnels as they feed within
leaf tissue.
Damaged caused by leaf miners can result in poor photosynthesis and lead to poor bean development.
Cutworm
Larvae are dull gray to brown (depending on the species). Cutworms notably curl into a 'C' when they are disturbed. Cutworms are most active and cause the most damage during spring and early summer months.
Symptoms:
Larvae feed with chewing mouthparts and can clip off seedlings at the soil line reducing stands. Later in the season, fruit and foliage may be damaged. Wilted plants may be the result of damaged stem due to feeding.
Army Worm
As their name suggests, Armyworms move in large numbers. Armyworms feed on the tender new growth of their host plants, sometimes consuming whole plants before moving in groups to the next plant.
Symptoms:
Army worms can strip a plant bare overnight, leaving only the veins behind. You'll also noticepillar droppings on the leaves near their feeding areas.
Leaffooted Bug
Leaffooted bugs are one of the many pests commonly found throughout the southern United States. Leaffooted bugs get their name from the flattened tibia of the hind leg, which gives this segment a leaf-like appearance. They feed on a wide variety of crops, causing damage to fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and ornamentals. They are relatives of stink bugs.
Symptoms:
Fruit may be discolored, shriveled, or misshapen or have sunken areas or depressions. Leaves may turn yellow or brown. Crops may have stunted growth and seeds may be shriveled, deformed, or shrunken.
Other notable signs are bright red nymphs on clusters on leaves.
Stink Bugs
Adult insect is shield-shaped and brown or green in color; may have pink, red or yellow markings; eggs are drum shaped and laid in clusters on the leaves; larvae resemble the adults but are smaller. Adult insects overwinter under leaves, on legumes, blackberries or on certain weeds such as mustard or Russian thistle.
Symptoms:
Dark colored pinpricks on fruit surrounded by a lighter area that turns yellow or remains light green; stink bugs often carry pathogens in their mouthparts which can cause secondary infections and decay of fruit.
Spider Mites
The two-spotted spider mite and the red spider mite being the most common in the United States. Their colors can range from red, green, yellow, orange, to even brown. They have two main body parts and eight legs. Spider mite infestations are particularly common during hot, dry summer weather.
Sypmtoms:
The signs that you have spider mites include, mottled yellow-brown spots on leaves, leaf curl, leaf drop and the telltale sign of webbing. Spider mites are very hard to see.
Thrips
Thrips are small, winged insects with rasping-sucking mouthparts. They are generally less than 1/8th of an inch long. Their bodies are elongated, more like a grain of rice than the rounded shape of aphids and mites. Thrips can be yellow, brown, or black.
Symptoms:
Thrips feed on young leaves, buds, flowers, and even small fruit. Leaves infested with thrips dry out and have a scarred or silver-flecked appearance. Small brownish specks of excrement on the undersides of leaves may also be seen. Infested flower buds fail to open, or the blooms are deformed. Damaged flowers become streaked and discolored. To check for thrips shake injured parts of the plants over a white piece of paper.
Leafhopper
The leafhoppers are a large and diverse family of sap-sucking, hopping insects. Wherever there are plants there are leafhoppers! Their body form look a lot like cicadas — only much smaller (its size is similar to that of a sesame grain)!
Symptoms:
The first signs of leafhopper feeding are pale leaf veins and curled leaves. "Hopperburn" can result from continued feeding. This is a condition resulting in triangular yellowing or browning of the leaf tip. This greatly reduces bean production.The leafhopper can also carry the bean mosaic virus from plant to plant.
Bean Leaf Beetle
The bean leaf beetle (Cerotoma trifurcata) is a pest of snap beans. Adults are active from mid-May to early June and mid-July through September. Adults are about 1/4 inch-long, oval-shaped insects, with heads visible from above. Some maybe yellowish-green, but may also be red or orange, with four black spots and black markings along the outside margins of the wings. Some bean leaf beetles will not have spots.
Symptoms:
Adult bean leaf beetles prefer to eat tender young plant tissue. High populations of adults can defoliate the first true leaves and kill young seedlings. Extensive feeding can weaken the plant and reduce the yield. When pods form later in the season, adults will also feed on their outer surface. This feeding only affects the appearance of the pods.
Bean leaf beetles are known to carry and spread some plant diseases. Fortunately, this is not an issue for vegetable growers as snap bean varieties are not affected by these diseases.
Mexican Bean Beetle
Adult insect is an orange-brown beetle with black spots; larvae are fat-bodied grubs which taper at the end and are in rows of conspicuous spines. Beetles can decimate bean crops and can overwinter as adults. They can undergo 2-3 generations per year.
Symptoms:
Irregular patches of feeding damage on underside of leaves which causes the top surface of the leaf to dry out, giving the leaves a lacy appearance; insect will also damage flowers and small pods; pods may be damaged so badly that they drop from the plant. Some bean varieties may be less attractive hosts for the beetle, e.g. snap beans are preferred hosts over lima beans; early varieties may escape damage form beetles.
Populations can be reduced by removing overwintering sites such as brush and leaves on the ground; handpick and squish larvae and adults; brush eggs from leaves and destroy. Introduce natural predators like wasps when first beetle is spotted.
Japanese Beatle
Japanese beetles overwinter as grubs in soil in grassy areas. In spring, grubs move toward the soil surface, pupate, and emerge as adults in mid to late June.
They are approximately 1/3 to 1/2 inch long with a metallic green head and copper-brown wing covers (elytra). The sides of the abdomen have five white patches of hair and the tip of the abdomen has two patches of white hair.
Symptoms:
Adults feed between leaf veins of soybean leaves, resulting in a lace-like appearance (skeletonizing). Heavy infestations can cause significant defoliation, which can lead to reduced bean yield.
Grubs may feed on soybean roots but rarely cause economic damage.
Insect and Bug Guides
Our Insect and Bug Guides are here to help you prevent and manage insect and bug problems in your garden.
Dealing with Common Bean Diseases
Get ready to take control of plant diseases! Understanding and managing these challenges is well within your reach. Check out list of common plant diseases, and together, we’ll conquer them! Let’s empower your plants to thrive like never before!
Bean Rust
Bean rust, is caused by Uromyces appendiculatus, a fungus. The first signs of bean rust are tiny white flecks on bean leaves. If you look on leaf undersides, you will see tiny blisters and no webbing, as might be present with spider mites. After a few days, the flecks enlarge into orange-brown circular dots. The cinnamon-colored dust particles in each circle are new rust spores. This disease is most likely to spread in warm, damp weather with temperatures between 70 and 80F
Symptoms:
Badly affected leaves turn brown and drop off. Sometimes pods develop patches of rust, too. Plants that lose leaves to rust are weakened and will not produce as well as healthy plants.
Alternaria Leaf Spot
Alternaria leaf spot is caused by various species of fungi in the Alternaria genus. This disease thrives in humid and hot conditions.
Symptoms:
Small, round lesions will appear on the leaves. The lesions may fall out, leaving holes, or they can merge and cause parts of the leaf to turn brown and necrotic.
While the damage is mostly cosmetic, it may still interfere with the plant photosynthesizing insufficiently.
Halo Blight
Halo blight occurs world wide and is a bacterial disease that affects beans and hops. It's caused by the bacteria Pseudomonas syringae pv.phaseolicola in beans. It can be spread by rain, hail, irrigation, or wind and is most destructive in moderate temperatures and when there's abundant inoculum.
Symptoms:
Halo blight symptoms first appear as small, angular, water-soaked spots (almost resembling little pin pricks) on the undersurfaces of leaves. As these spots grow and turn brown, a characteristic light green to yellow halo appears around the spots. On pods, small water-soaked spots, about the size of pinpricks, develop that grow into sunken spots and turn reddish brown. Sometimes a creamy white ooze may be seen inside these spots. Pod symptoms of common and halo blight diseases are virtually indistinguishable
Bacterial Leaf Spot
Bacterial leaf spot (aka bacterial blight) in beets is a disease caused by the bacteria Pseudomonas syringae pv. aptata. The bacteria thrives in moist, warm conditions.
Symptoms:
Leaves will exhibit circular spots with irregular edges. The spots will look dry, with a brown or tan color on the interior and dark borders. Often the spot can run together and the leaves can eventually drop off. It is spread by water, and via rain or irrigation, as well as by aphids.
Dampening Off
Damping off is a disease that affects bean seedlings and is caused by soil-borne fungi. Once plants have mature leaves and a well developed root system, they are better able to naturally resist the fungus or mold that causes damping off. There is a critical period of growth between planting and maturity when special care needs to be taken to protect sensitive seedlings.
Symptoms:
Seedlings fail to emerge from the soil.
Cotyledons (the first leaves produced by a seedling) and seedling stems are water soaked, soft, mushy and may be discolored gray to brown. Seedling stems become water soaked and thin, almost thread like, where infected. Young leaves wilt and turn green-gray to brown. Roots are absent, stunted or have grayish-brown sunken spots. Fluffy white cobweb-like growth on infected plant parts under high humidity.
Bean Mosaic Virus
Aphids are responsible for spreading bean mosaic virus in two ways: bean common mosaic as well as bean yellow mosaic. Either of these types of bean mosaic may afflict your bean crop. The mosaic symptoms of beans afflicted with either bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) or bean yellow mosaic (BYMV) are similar so careful inspection can help determine which one is affecting your plants.
Symptoms:
Irregular mosaic pattern of light yellow and green or a band of dark green along the veins on an otherwise green leaf. Foliage may also pucker and warp in size, often causing the leaf to roll up. Symptoms vary depending upon the bean variety and disease strain, with the end result either stunting the plant or its eventual death. Once infected there is no treatment for bean mosaic virus.
Root Rot
Root rot in beans is a fungal disease that affects the underground stems and roots of bean plants.
Symptoms:
Fusarium root rot: lesions can extend the entire length of the root. Plants try to compensate by producing side roots near the soil surface, but growth is stunted and yellow. Yields are generally poor. This fungus attacks green beans, but may also infect lima beans, Southern peas, and garden peas. Heavy, acidic soils with low fertility and a coarse texture are more likely to harbor
Fusarium root rot: In warm, wet weather, the fungus may infect young bean plants within weeks of germinating.
Rhizoctonia root rot primarily affects the seedlings of beans and related crops. Infected plants exhibit circular reddish brown lesions on roots. Severely infected seedlings snap off at the soil line. The fungus thrives in poorly drained soils and is more prevalent during periods of cool, wet weather. The disease can also infect bean pods later in the summer, where it causes similar reddish lesions.
Common Bacterial Blight
Common bacterial blight can cause severe damage on beans affecting yield. The disease is active during hot and humid conditions.
Symptoms:
Symptoms can be noticed on leaves, pods and seeds. The leaf symptoms can start with water-soaking followed by necrosis. Lesions will have a yellow discoloration around it and can be noticed form upper side and underside of the leaves.
The lesions expand and can merge to cause large blighted sections. The affected leaves may have a blighted appearance and may be attached or can drop off from the plant.
Pods affected with common bacterial blight show water-soaking that can be in a small or large section. Numerous necrotic spots can be also noticed on the pods. The lesions on pods tend to be circular or slightly irregular with light to dark brown or red color. The lesions may also become dark as they age. The size of the lesions can be very small or larger.
Anthracnose
Anthracnose of beans is a plant disease caused by various species of fungi belonging to the genus Colletotrichum. These fungi are responsible for anthracnose in a wide range of plants. The fungus can survive on infected plant debris, in soil, or on seeds, and it can be transmitted through spores, rain splashes, or by contact between infected and healthy plant tissues.
Symptoms:
Anthracnose fungus infects leaves, stems, and pods of common bean plants. The most characteristic symptom of the disease is the black-red sunken cankers or spots that develop on infected pods. As these spots become older, the edges develop a black ring with a red outer border and may show a pink ooze in the center, which contains the spores of the fungus. Similar spots may develop on seeds. Red-brown spots and streaks also develop on stems, petioles, and leaves. A characteristic symptom of the disease occurs on the underside of infected leaves: veins turn brick-red to purple and eventually black.
Bacterial Brown Spot
Bacterial brown spot of beans is caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas syringae pathovar (pv.) syringae (Pss). The bacterial is spread by splashing rain and sprinkler irrigation onto plants. It also can be spread by workers, equipment, and insects moving through bean fields when plants are wet. It is most severe when temperatures are cool to moderate (below 80 °F) and relative humidity levels are above 95%
Symptoms:
Small, necrotic lesion with a yellow-green halo develop in young leaves. Once lesions enlarge and merge, the dead tissue can fall out, giving the leaves a tattered appearance. On bean pods lesions have a water-soaked appearance. As lesions age they become brown and sunken. Occasionally, bacteria will ooze from lesions.
Bean Growing Tips & Tricks
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For a continuous harvest of beans succession plant every three weeks for bush bean varieties.
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Beans are warm weather crops. But they may slow down bean production during the dog days of summer. Pole beans will continue to produce beans all growing season until they experience either extreme heat or the first frost.
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Beans will grow in most climates with well draining soil rich in organic matter.
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All legumes are nitrogen fixers. They do this through symbiotic relationship with soil dwelling bacteria called Rhizobium.
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Rhizobia form specialized organs on the bean roots called nodules, which are ideal environments for the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into a nitrogen form the plant can use. Hence the term "fixing" nitrogen.
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Rhizobia is found naturally in the soil, however unless the area you are planting you beans has been inoculated before with the variety of Rhizobia that fixes to bean roots, there more than likely will not be sufficient Rhizobia to be of benefit. It is recommended that you inoculate the bean seed first before you plant the seed. The instructions to how to inoculate bean seed will be on the back of the packet of inoculate you will use to coat the seeds. Check out our guide on fixing nitrogen to the soil.
Old Oak Homestead: The Growing Library
