How to Grow Beans

Botanical Name: Phaseolus vulgaris

Plant Type: Tender Annual

The common bean originated in Central and South America, the original wild ancestor being a climbing plant domesticated by Native Americans up to, perhaps, 8000 years ago. Brought back to Europe by the Conquistadors, it has been developed into thousands of different varieties, including both climbing and dwarf types, and forms an important part of the diet of many different cultures. Unfortunately, like many other vegetables, it is undergoing a rapid decline in genetic diversity, with some unique varieties already having been lost.  

Beans are legumes and share the common characteristic of being able to manufacture soil nitrogen by using atmospheric nitrogen in a cooperative relationship with particular types of soil bacteria - so they are good for your soil, and good for you too!

Varieties

So many words are used to describe different variations of the common bean that it can be quite confusing, but let’s keep it simple and group them under two categories, being either climbing (sometimes called pole) or bush (dwarf) beans. Runner beans are described in another section. Additional terms are used to describe either the appearance of the beans or their pods and their end use, which is dependent upon the size, shape, colour and structure of the pods and beans.

• Snap Beans are intended for harvesting when the pods are young, and should be used fresh or as whole pods, a popular culinary use of beans in this country.
• Stringless refers to them being less stringy in pod structure than other types.
• Wax beans are another type where the pods are yellow in colour with a dull wax-like appearance.
• Dry beans are varieties whose pods are grown to full maturity until the pods dry out, so that the beans within the pods are harvested, stored dry, and soaked in water prior to cooking.
• Kidney beans are a type of dry bean that are large and kidney shaped.

Further consideration in selection is given to flavour, productivity and the beautiful colours and patterns of the beans, which in some varieties are miniature works of art.

When selecting beans, your initial choice is between climbing and bush beans, with climbers being the more productive of the two.

Cultivation

Beans perform best in warm, sunny positions and do well in most soils, provided there is an ample and constant supply of moisture. Climbing beans can be grown on trellises, biodegradable netting or can be encouraged to grow up any supporting structure, including fences and pergolas. One method popular overseas is to establish a teepee consisting of three lengths of bamboo two metres tall, tied together at the top and forced into the ground at 120 degrees with a radius of about 60 cm to 80 cm. As they are prone to wind damage, protected areas in the garden should be selected.

Bush beans can be grown on flat beds, but we prefer to grow them on raised beds to improve drainage.

Once the vines are growing, they can be positioned by hand on to the trellis, to encourage their growth upwards. Established plants should be watered regularly to avoid stressing them. Weed control is best achieved through mulching. Caution must be exercised during weeding operations because beans have a very shallow root system that is easily damaged.

Sun: Full Sun           

Pollination: Self-Pollinating

Soil: When preparing garden beds for beans it is important to ensure that there is a good supply of potassium in the soil, and providing nitrogen as well tends to produce more vigorous plants. Beans are fairly tolerant of acidic conditions but perform best in neutral conditions, so we recommend the use of lime or dolomite to counter soil acidity.

Growing from Seed

Sow: Direct, successive, after frost

Ease of Germination: Easy

Germination Temperature: 16-29 degrees C

Germination Time: 6-15 days

Spacing: 15 cm apart for climbers, 10 cm for dwarfs.

Harvest: 68–125 days.

Yield: 60–560 g/plant. Pick daily.

Beans are very frost sensitive and should not be sown until the risk of frost has passed. A minimum temperature of 15°C is required for germination, which takes place in about two weeks at this temperature, and in about a week at 25°C. Climbing beans should be sown in straight lines at intervals of 15 cm to 20 cm below the supporting trellis or structure. Bush varieties should be sown in a mosaic pattern at intervals of about 30 cm.

Maintenance and Additional Care

Beans are a low maintenance crop once established. Water regularly and pick beans daily to maximize your harvest. The more you pick, the more you will grow.

Climbing beans can be used as a green wall in areas with adequate light, creating a spectacular wall of edible colour and shade.

Companion Planting

Good companions: Basil, Beetroot, Borage, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Capsicum, Carrot, Cauliflower, Celery, Chilli, Corn, Cucumber, Dill, Eggplant, Lettuce, Marigold, Nasturtium, Parsnip, Parsley, Passionfruit, Peas, Potato, Radish, Spinach, Strawberry, Tomato, Turnip.

Bad companions: Chives, Fennel, Garlic, Gladioli, Kohl Rabi, Onion.

Pests and Diseases

Beans can be afflicted by a few serious diseases including Fusarium wilt and Sclerotinia, both causing sudden death. If this occurs, move the bed. Crop rotation will help to avoid these soilborne issues.

A number of fungal diseases such as Anthracnose and powdery mildew can severely damage leaves and are best prevented by growing plants in a site with good air circulation and by avoiding splashing the leaves during watering. If necessary, they can be controlled with copper-based sprays.

Other serious diseases are the Bean Mosaic Virus, the presence of which is indicated by yellow blotches and distortion of the leaves, and the summer death Mycoplasma, which causes sudden yellowing of the whole plant. Both diseases are usually fatal and affected plants should be pulled out and burnt. The former is carried by aphids in spring and the latter by leafhoppers in summer, so controlling these pests with pyrethrum sprays is recommended as a successful preventative measure.

Container Gardening

You can grow both climbing and bush beans in containers, but if you select climbing beans, make sure the container is large, and you include a trellis, even a tomato frame, to support the top growth and abundant harvest.

Use a premium potting mix designed for vegetables and position your pot in full sun. Sow plants directly, usually as the base of the frame. Bush beans can be spread throughout the pot to maximize harvest.

Water regularly and when plants start to crop, pick daily to increase production, and lengthen your harvest.

Harvesting

In general, dwarf varieties mature earlier than climbing types, producing pods that can be harvested within a couple of months of sowing, and climbers can be harvested within three months. If snap beans are desired, harvest pods regularly, around twice a week when the plants are at their peak, in order to maximize your harvest. If dry beans are desired, simply allow the pods to reach full maturity and harvest when the pods are dry, and the beans fall out of the pods with minimal effort.

Seed Saving

Seed Longevity: 3-4 years

Isolation Distance: 6m

How to Save Seed: One of the easiest plants to start you seed saving journey (along with peas), to save seed, leave beans to dry on the plant. When the outer pod is dry, harvest the beans and shell from the pod. Leave to dry on paper towel for 2-3 weeks and place in an envelope to store for sowing next year.

Tips and Tricks for Success

• beans grow well in all frost-free climates although some beans are better suited to the tropics than others. Snake beans and winged beans are best suited to the tropical regions of Australia.
• grow a mix of bush and climbing beans to maximize your harvest and your growing season.

 Watch our video on how to grow beans.