Bean Growing Guide

The growth habit of bush beans is much like that of determinate tomatoes in that they only grow to 1′ – 2′ in a compact, bushy habit. Bush beans are usually planted in long, double rows that will help support each other as the plants mature side by side. However, unlike determinate tomatoes that will produce a large crop at once and be done, bush beans can continue to produce but the following crop will usually not be as substantial as the first. Bush beans are ideal for succession planting to get the highest and most consistent yield. You can also stagger your planting every 2-3 weeks to have a continual harvest of bush beans throughout the season.

Pole beans are similar to that of indeterminate tomatoes in that they climb, sometimes up to over 10′ – 15′ tall. These varieties need a trellis to support their upward habit. Pole beans will produce continually throughout the growing season and many gardeners prefer pole beans because, depending on how and where you trellis, they don’t take up as much space in the garden. You can trellis using a teepee style like what is shown below but we recommend using the Hortonova Trellis Netting because it provides adequate airflow and can be easily trimmed to any size garden.

Snap beans are also commonly known as green beans, not necessarily because of their color, but because they are harvested while the beans and pods are still immature and have a “snap” sound when broken. Snap beans can come in all kinds of colors like purple, yellow, and even bright pink. Snap beans are also commonly called string beans for the fibrous “string” that runs down the length of the bean that has to be removed one by one before cooking them. Nowadays, a lot of varieties like the Tongues of Fire Bean shown below have been bred to be stringless and can be snapped and cooked right off the vine. 

The main difference between dry beans and fresh shelling beans is simply that dry beans need to stay on the plant until the pods and inside beans are totally dried out. The best indication that your beans are completely dry is that you can hear them rattling around in their pods and all the leaves have turned yellow and dropped off. If you experience any rain or weather issues, just pull the whole plant out, hang, and continue to dry in a cool, dry area. 

Unlike immature snap beans that can be eaten pod and all, fresh shelling beans have to be removed from their mature pods and can be eaten fresh but are typically cooked or dried for future use. Also known as soup beans, or shellys, there are a ton of varieties that fall into this category like fava beans and edamame to name a few. Here in South Georgia, the most popular shelling bean by far are lima beans but we affectionately know them as butter beans. Fresh shelling beans should be very easy to pop open and extract the tender beans from the inside of the pods.

When choosing a spot to grow beans, full sun is always recommended. Be careful not to over-plant your beans because they can easily take over and become too difficult to manage and harvest. Using the HOSS Garden Seeder makes planting the right amount of beans much faster and easier. 

Row Spacing– 3 feet
Plant Spacing– 3 to 4 inches
Planting Depth– 1 inch

Raised Bed Planting

Row Spacing– 2 feet
Plant Spacing– 3 to 4 inches
Planting Depth– 1 inch

Depending on the variety of beans you are growing, whether it be bush beans or pole beans, harvesting is relatively simple. The only real variations are how often you pick the beans through the season and at what stage of maturity. To harvest snap beans or fresh shelling beans, simply grab the pod where it connects to the vine and snap it from there. Be careful not to damage the bean itself and be sure to inspect pods for any diseases or pests. If you see any compromised pods, be sure to discard them to avoid any issues while storing.

Bush beans have a shorter period of production so you will get a larger harvest at once, making them ideal for canning and storing. While bush beans will continue to produce after harvesting, the crop will typically degrade which is why a lot of gardeners pull up bush bean plants after they’ve stopped producing and, if time allows, will replant a succession crop. Pole beans, however, have a longer period of growth and can be picked throughout the growing season, giving you the benefit of being able to harvest only how much you need at that time. These plants will continue to produce again and again after harvesting until they are killed off by frost or intense heat, depending on your zone.

When preserving beans, you have to be extremely careful when deciding to can beans for long-term storage. Beans are the most common cause of botulism poisoning due to improper canning techniques. When deciding to grow beans and can them, make sure that you follow the canning instructions and use the right equipment like a pressure canner.  If you don’t have the proper equipment, pickling beans is a good option because the acid from the vinegar will kill any potentially harmful bacteria. If pickling isn’t precisely what you had in mind, freezing your homegrown beans is also a safe storage method.