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About Beans

Bush beans stay compact and crop in a short window; pole beans climb 6–8 ft and produce over a longer season. Both fix some nitrogen and dislike cold, wet soil. Do not soak seed if the ground is chilly — it rots.

When to Plant

Direct-sow after last frost once soil is at least 60°F (ideally 70°F). Succession-sow bush beans every 2–3 weeks until midsummer. Pole beans: one sowing is usually enough.

How to Plant

Sow 1 inch deep. Bush: 2–3 inches apart, rows 18–24 inches; thin to 4 inches if crowded. Pole: 4–6 inches apart along a trellis, or 6–8 seeds per hill around a tripod, then thin to 3–4 plants. Inoculant is optional in soil that has grown beans recently. Keep evenly moist while flowering.

When to Harvest

Pick snap beans when pods are firm, before seeds bulge. Harvest every 2–3 days — leaving mature pods shuts the plant down. For dry beans, leave pods until rattling and brown, then cure indoors.

Bush vs pole

Bush beans need no support and freeze well. Pole beans need a sturdy trellis but yield more in the same footprint and stay tender longer.