Beans Planting & Growing Guide

Where to Plant Beans

Plant your Beans in full sun in well-draining soil. Beans can be grown in the ground or in a container but be sure to note if your plant is a bush variety or a vining variety. Vining beans will require a trellis, teepee, or other support structure.

When to Plant Beans

Plant in spring once the weather has warmed. In warmer climates, Beans can also be planted in late summer for a fall harvest.

How to Plant Beans

• Find a location with full sun and well-draining soil. If you notice that water still puddles 5 to 6 hours after a hard rain, it's best to find a different spot or plant in a container or raised bed.
• Plant your Beans as soon as possible after they arrive. If you can’t plant immediately, make sure to give them a drink of water and set them somewhere out of direct sun and wind until you can get them planted.
• Dig a hole the same depth as the nursery container. Remove the plant from the container and set in the hole. If the roots look compacted, it’s okay to gently loosen them a bit. Fill the hole with soil and tamp down firmly.
• Plant vining Beans 10–12” apart.
• Plant bush Beans 12–18” apart.
• Water thoroughly after planting to settle the soil around the roots.

How to Grow Beans

• Water every week; 1” of water is a good estimate. Drip irrigation or soaker hoses help get the water right at the roots with minimal evaporation and reduce the spread of diseases like powdery mildew.
• Add a light mulch of compost to the surrounding soil to improve drainage and keep competing weeds at bay.
• Apply a balanced fertilizer if plants appear yellow or spindly, but as a rule Beans don’t need much fertilizer.

Beans Tips & Tricks

• Allow vining varieties to twine themselves around a trellis—no tying required!
• Watch for and handpick beetles, which can do a lot of damage. Floating row covers can be used to prevent an infestation.
• Harvest string beans when they start to mature and the beans inside the pods start to swell. Keep picking every day; plants will stop producing if too many beans are left to mature on the vine.
• Harvest soy beans (edamame) when the pods are bright green and the beans inside are plump. The entire crop of soy beans will be ready for picking within a 7- to 10-day span, after which they will be overripe.