How to Grow the Very Versatile Green Bean, in a Snap and With No Strings Attached

For many of us, green beans AKA string beans, snap beans, or French beans, were a common side dish in the meal rotation as we grew up, and are now vegetables that we prepare for our families and/or enjoy as adults. What makes them so popular? Well, it has to be their nutritional value, ease of preparation, all the ways in which they may be cooked (boiled, sauteed, stir fried, battered and deep fried, baked, dehydrated), and if the chef knows their way around a green bean, their flavor.

Green beans originated in Central and South America and were grown for thousands of years in the regions. They are rich in vitamin C and K, folate, fiber and antioxidants. They are often desirable companion plants in the garden as their roots “fix” nitrogen in the soil, which basically means that as the plant grows, a process occurs whereby nitrogen in the soil air is stored in nodules in the roots, and then converted to forms usable by plants. When the green bean plant stops growing and/or dies off, the nitrogen is released into the soil. Plants use nitrogen to produce chlorophyll and fruit/vegetables. It is an energy source. Plants that continue to grow after the legume plants are spent, and those planted in this soil next season will reap the benefits.

Green beans are actually just immature versions of the common bean, still in their pods. There are three basic categories, including bush (dwarf), pole and half-runner. These names are attributed to the way in which the plants grow. Thankfully (in my opinion), most varieties nowadays are stringless. Check your packaging to determine if this is the case for your selections. I, personally prefer the Blue Lake (bush) variety, which has given great and consistent results. Burpee’s Contender bean variety has also proven to be a reliable producer.

Bush beans only grow to approximately, a couple of feet high, and stems branch off, forming fruit in a bush-like manner. They have a limited spread. Some varieties may require staking. Read your seed or seedling packaging to determine if this is the case for you. Once blooms are present, bush beans produce numerous fruit at once, and will continue to do so for several weeks before stopping. Gardeners may be able to extend the fruiting period by picking frequently and before the beans mature. It is best to use succession planting (sowing seeds about every two weeks) when growing bush type green beans, so that you can have a more continuous harvest during the growing season.

Pole beans AKA runner beans, require trellises and staking support of up to about 5-6 ft., as they grow via climbing vines, that produce pods/beans along their length. Vines may grow up to 10 or so feet and may continue to produce fruit for up to two months, dependent upon your variety. Pole bean types include flat pods, round pods, and yard-long, with the latter being the least grown by gardeners as it requires considerable more time and effort to cook well enough to achieve the desired flavor. Gardeners select pole beans for numerous reasons, including the perk in growing vertically, they are sweeter than bush-type beans, and they have a longer harvest window.

Yard-long beans AKA long beans, asparagus beans, and long-podded cowpeas, are tropical beans that are actually not in the same genus as common bush and pole beans. They are best when picked young and tender and either eaten raw or in stir-fries. If selected when mature, the taste is more like that of dry beans and lacks the sweetness of the other types. Yard-long beans will continuously produce pods on the same stem until first frost, provided pods are picked frequently.

Growing requirements and conditions are generally the same for snap beans (beans with varied colored pods; e.g.., wax beans).

How to Sow

Green beans germinate within 1-2 weeks given proper soil conditions and temperature (soil temperature of at least 65 degrees F and daily and evening temperatures 60 or above on average). If the soil temperature is too low and/or cool, the seeds will rot in the soil. I personally learned after my first failed attempt, to wait for the arrival of consistent warm temperatures, and use black plastic mulch sheeting to heat the soil in my container for up to a week before sowing. I simply make crosswise cuts in the plastic where I plant them at the recommended depth (2 seeds per hole), spacing approximately 6 inches apart. I usually plant them amongst marigolds for pest control and a pop of color.

If you prefer a faster germination timeframe, you can start by soaking the seeds. If you decide to soak your seeds, it is best to do so by immersing them, or wrapping them between paper towels or cloths soaked with warm water overnight. This helps soften the outer “shell.” Inspect your seeds before sowing, to ensure you do not select ones that show signs of infection (yellowing, wrinkled, discolored) related to excess moisture. These soaked seeds still have the same warm soil and air temperature requirements when it is time to sow.

Friends or Foes

Beans grow well with many plants with a few exceptions. In some cases, bush-type and pole-type may have different tolerance of plant species. For example, bush beans grow well with beets, but pole beans are stunted in their presence. All beans do not grow well with sunflowers or members of the onion family. These plants stunt their growth. Planting marigolds, nasturtium, savory and rosemary nearby can be helpful in repelling bean beetles, and being planted near radish and flowering herbs such as savory and cilantro can attract beneficial insects that will feed on other insect pests. Note: Marigolds are also known to repel aphids. Nasturtium planted several feet away from target plants can be used as a trap crop, to draw aphids away.

Click here to learn about natural DIY natural insecticide and other pest control options.

Preserving and Storing

Green beans can be easily preserved and stored by blanching and freezing, canning and pickling. Click here for more information regarding preparation and storing of your green bean harvests so that you may enjoy them long after growing season.

When to Harvest

You want to harvest your green beans before the beans inside the pods mature. In other words, pick them before you can see the shape of the beans bulging through the pod. Beans are less tender and less sweet once they begin to mature, and leaving green beans on the plant too long will result in fewer blooms, and therefore fewer green beans produced. Never pull green beans off the main stem/branch, but snip the short stem/stalk which connects the pod when picking. Fresh green beans will last about a week in the refrigerator, provided you do not wash or wet them and store them in a plastic storage bag, squeezing out an excess air before sealing.

Whether you eat your green beans whole, cut or frenched, cook them with ham hocks, bacon or smoked turkey, whether you steam them, stew them with potatoes, toss in some crushed red pepper flakes, or saute them with garlic and/or onions, green beans are a side dish that often remind folks of home and meals prepared and consumed during their youth. For me, it was every hand pitching in to snap (and “de-string”) the green beans before cooking, and if I was lucky, I had the chance to hear some juicy gossip! May your harvest and its preparation provide you and yours with new cherished memories to share!