Growing
pole beans is
a bit more labor intensive than growing
bush beans (due
to the fact they need to be trellised)
WHEN
TO PLANT
Pole
Beans can be planted directly
into the soil in
the spring when soil temperatures reach 60F.
WHERE TO PLANT
Pole
Beans do best in a sunny
location with
well-drained soil rich in organic matter.
PREPARING THE SOIL
For
nutrient rich, well-drained soil, mix
compost thoroughly into
the soil as beans do not grow well in heavy soil
Beans
do well even when nitrogen
levels are
low
Adding
well-composted manure will
increase production
P
(phosphorus) and K (potassium) levels can be moderate and pH
levels can
be as low as 5.0
Ideal
growth will occur at pH
6.0.
SEEDS AND GERMINATION
Presoaking
is not
necessary when
planting beans
Presoaking
in compost tea for 25 minutes can help the seed against
disease
If
you choose to pre-soak for sprouting purposes, be careful as the bean
sprout is delicate and
you could damage the root
Beans
take approximately 7-10
days to
germinate
The
use of row covers will accelerate the germination process by helping
to maintain
the correct soil temperature
Bean
seeds remain viable for 3
years
SOWING AND GROWING
Plant
the first crop at least 2
weeks after last
expected frost
The
air temperature should be about 70°F
Pole
beans are particularly sensitive to
cold
Row
spacing 3’-4’
Plant double
or triple rows
(for trellising) at 1’
Seeds
depth 2”
Plant
spacing 10″
When
using a teepee
structure,
plant hills 3’-5’ apart, and sow 6-8 seeds per hill, later
thinning plants to 3-4 per hill
Set
your supports directly
after young
plants appear
To
increase bean production,train your pole beans
Maintain
bean health by using a good liquid
organic leaf spray every
14 days.
WATERING
Be
careful not to over-water seeds
Soggy,
cold soil will cause
your seeds to
rot before they have a chance to germinate
Pole
beans prefer an increasing
water supply throughout
the growing season
Keep
water levels low at planting, moderate at flowering, and heavy
during production
COMPANION PLANTING / ROTATION
Crops
such as corn benefit from the nitrogen-fixing qualities
of beans
When
beans are rotated after corn they provide an excellent nitrogen
amendment after
corn’s heavy summer usage
Bad
companions include
cabbage, onion family, kohlrabi and sunflower
Rotation
of crops: Follow corn; don’t
followpeas,
or bush beans
WHEN TO HARVEST
Picking
beans begins when beans
are tender
Harvest
beans when no
larger than
a pencil
Seeds
should not
yet be seen forming
inside the pod
Harvesting
daily encourages a greater harvest
The
more you pick, the more you get, andthe
longer your
growing season
STORAGE
Refrigeration gives
beans a week of freshness
Once
production passes your consumption you may preserve your beans
by canning,
pickling, or freezing
COMMON PESTS AND PROBLEMS
Pest
and problems in Pole Beans are varied
Most
problems with beans are
avoided when
the soil is loosened via composted material and properly pH balanced
