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Growing Beans from Seeds and Seedlings

Gardening Guide: Grow Great Green Beans

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Growing Beans from Seeds and Seedlings

By Norann Oleson

Green bean seeds held by a child

Green bean seeds held by a child

Green beans germinate and grow so quickly that gardeners rarely start them indoors as seedlings. In fact, green beans do not respond well to transplanting because they have tender roots. If you simply can’t wait until the outdoor soil is warm enough to direct sow, start your green bean seeds in peat pots or similar vessels that can go straight into the garden, undisturbed.

Seed Planting Process

Green beans are a warm weather crop that can be planted after the last spring frost. But don’t rush it! Green beans planted when the ground is too cold are susceptible to rot. Wait until soil temperatures are at least 50 to 60 degrees F. You can warm up the soil more quickly by covering it with landscape fabric or plastic sheets, weighed down.

Sow seeds 1 to 2 inches below the soil, 2 inches between plants for pole beans and bush beans. Once the seeds germinate, thin to 6 inches apart for bush beans and 3 inches for pole beans. If planting bush beans in rows, leave 18 inches between rows.

Growing Seedlings

Green bean seedlings

Green bean seedlings

You can get seedlings from the garden store or start your seeds in plantable containers indoors. Start the seeds indoors about four weeks prior to the last spring frost and plant the seedlings about two weeks after the frost, when the soil is warm enough. Space plants as you would for sprouted, thinned seeds.

Pole or runner beans will need support in the form of bamboo poles, trellises, half hoops (for a tunnel), etc., which you should set in place when the shoots are about 4 inches high. If you’re planting pole beans to grow in a teepee fashion, use bamboo poles at least 7 feet tall and group four to six seeds at the base of each pole. Tie string around the poles to halfway up so the beans have something to grab onto on their way up.

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Tags

beans, planting pole beans, runner beans

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

  • Curator’s Corner
  • Introduction
  • Feature Articles

  • Types of Green Beans
  • Growing Beans from Seeds and Seedlings
  • Where to Grow Green Beans
  • Growing Green Beans in Containers
  • Nurturing your Green Beans
  • Harvesting your Green Beans
  • Dealing with Green Bean Diseases
  • Dealing with Green Bean Pests
  • Essential Tools and Equipment for Growing and Enjoying Green Beans
  • Plant Profiles

  • Scarlet Runner Snap Pole Beans
  • Blue Lake Stringless Snap Pole Beans
  • Kentucky Wonder Yellow Wax Pole Beans
  • Dragon’s Tongue Romano Bush Green Beans
  • Kentucky Wonder 125 Long-Podded Bush Green Beans
  • Mascotte Filet Bush Green Beans
  • Tendergreen Snap Bush Green Beans
  • Recipes

  • Green Beans Almondine
  • Salade Niçoise with Haricot Verts
  • Traditional Italian Green Beans
  • Green Bean, Potato, and Bacon Soup
  • Chicken and Green Bean Stir-Fry
  • Healthy Green Bean Casserole
  • Perfect Roasted Green Beans
  • Additional Articles

  • Nutrition Facts about Green Beans
  • Health Benefits of Green Beans
  • Resources about Green Beans
  • Green Bean Glossary
  • Related Articles

  • 7 Types of Beans to Grow to Add Color to Your Vegetable Garden
  • Roasted Lemon-Garlic Green Beans Recipe
  • 10 Green Bean Companion Plants and 5 To Avoid Planting Nearby
  • Pole Beans vs. Bush Beans: Which Are Better to Grow?

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