Growing Beans - dwarf, also French beans, Bush beans

Phaseolus vulgaris : Fabaceae / the pea or legume family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
        P P            

(Best months for growing Beans - dwarf in USA - Zone 5a regions)

  • P = Sow seed
  • Easy to grow. Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 61°F and 86°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 2 - 6 inches apart
  • Harvest in 7-10 weeks. Pick often to encourage more flower production.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Sweetcorn, spinach, lettuce, summer savory, dill, carrots, brassicas, beets, radish, strawberry and cucumbers, tagates minuta (wild marigold)
  • Avoid growing close to: Alliums (Chives, leek, garlic, onions) Sunflower

Your comments and tips

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22 Feb 13, steve australia (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
yep the use of lime with beans is paramount and i get good germination by having my soil in adark damp friabiable condition and sow in furrow made by the back of rake and covered with apiece of old roof guttering untill they germinate
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10 Feb 13, Karl (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Try a bit of beer in a can, such as an old tuna can or the like. The snails love the yeasty sugars and get trapped in the can.
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08 Feb 13, G Naidoo (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate)
What can you plant to keep snails away now
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15 Jun 13, Lesley (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
I keep all my egg shells - dry them out in the oven and then crush and scatter them around the plants. (all plants) to keep the snails at bay. This Summer I forgot to do this and the snail invasion was horrendous! I don't know of any plants that would acheive this. Good luck!
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15 Oct 18, Tessa (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Lemongrass has silicone intheir leaves- nasty papercuts! So I chop n drop them when I thin them out :)
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07 Apr 14, Graham Pearl (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Tobacco Dust and Coffee... A simple Google search will let you know more.
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01 Mar 12, PJ (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Young dwarf beans have 2 major enemies - birds & snails/slugs.To stop these pests, i do the following. - place beans on a sheet of moist kitchen paper in a plastic take away food container. wrap the whole thing in a plastic bag & fold the bag end under the container. place container in a warm spot (NOT direct sun). After 5 days, transplant the now germinated seed to a pot. Use a net to deter birds & put pot on raised bench or table - keep moist. Once the plants are 10cm high, transplant to garden. Bury plant stem deep so leaves are well above soil - enjoy lots of beans as snails & birds will now leave them alone
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09 Jan 12, bob g (Australia - temperate climate)
Yes Peter, I've been doing it for years. Also, if you want to grow peas [spring crop] Buy a bag of dried peas from your supermarket - off the shelf where they keep split peas, lentils etc. Much cheaper and great crop. If you have problems with powdery mildew, spray with a mixture of one part full cream milk to twelve parts water.
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08 Jan 12, Peter F (Australia - temperate climate)
Can you use dried dwarf beans for replanting.
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05 Jan 14, Mullyguts (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Yes, but they must be fully mature. Normal eating quality beans will not germinate.
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When and if you plant your beans too closely together (or if you plant in the shade) - they will REACH for the light, becoming very leggy. Planting too close together stops the light from hitting the sides of the plant (plants in the middle are effectively in the shade with exception to the top portion), only the top portion of the plant gets sunlight and therefore the plant reaches that way.... "up". You could, if you were planting only one row provided the row ran N/S plant closely together because 2 sides get full sun (if rows run W/E the plants in the same row tend to shade each other -- plant large plants on the North side of rows that run N/S; this is Northern Hemisphere). That's why spacing is usually given as, between plants (within a row that runs N/S) and then the distance between rows (running W/E). Of course if you are planting on a steep slope, than run your rows parallel to the slope as a general rule of thumb This is the above ground portion of plant spacing. There is also the below ground portion of plant spacing: roots, water and nutrition. If you were to just look at the root (and ignore for a moment the above ground portion): tap rooted plants can be planted closer together than fibrous root plants, because the tap root goes DOWN, and fibrous spreads out and down. Companion planting takes root and sunlight requirements into account: for example: you can plant carrots AROUND a tomato plant ; because carrots don't need much light (and the tomato does), and carrots being a tap root don't interfere with the fibrous roots of the tomato plant, which just go around the carrot. Mind you when you pull the carrot you do disrupt the tomato a little; but not so much that I would be concerned. You can get more vegetables in a smaller space when you learn which plants can work as "understory" plants to others. When it comes to plant nutrition; spacing ensure there is enough soil to source the appropriate vitamins and minerals a plant requires. When planting tightly; or using companion planting you need to take into account that you are planting tighter than the recommended spacing and therefore increase the nutrition (manure/compost) in areas where tight planting is happening.

- FaithCeleste Archer

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