FRESHLY PICKED STRINGLESS "BLUE LAKE" POLE BEANS
For those yearning to grow vegetables but are limited by poor soil, growing space, or gardening experience, beans lend themselves extremely well to overcoming those obstacles. As an additional bonus, it's arguable that no other veggie matches the bean's area-to-yield ratio.
Beans adapt to poor soils by providing their own nitrogen through a physical "symbiotic relationship." In this give-and-take exchange, beans provide carbohydrates (sugars) to soil-born bacteria, and in return, the bacteria extracts gaseous nitrogen from the atmosphere and converts it to plant-friendly nitrates (nitrogen).
TIP: Because of this natural nitrogen production, gardeners should not fertilize beans as heavily as other veggies.
Beans adapt to poor soils by providing their own nitrogen through a physical "symbiotic relationship." In this give-and-take exchange, beans provide carbohydrates (sugars) to soil-born bacteria, and in return, the bacteria extracts gaseous nitrogen from the atmosphere and converts it to plant-friendly nitrates (nitrogen).
TIP: Because of this natural nitrogen production, gardeners should not fertilize beans as heavily as other veggies.
A SIMPLE TRELLIS MADE FROM METAL POSTS AND FENCE WIRE
Green Beans
Bush varieties are knee-high plants which produce most of their crop at once, so if you're able to can, freeze, or give away gallons of beans within one single week of the growing season, these are for you.
Pole varieties are climbing vines that increase yield while reducing planting space, but unlike bush beans, they produce throughout the entire growing season.
My Favorites
Whether they be bush or pole, stringless heirloom green beans can't be topped for flavor or yield. Although both of my favorites are excellent for eating and preserving, Kentucky Wonder is best when cooked and eaten fresh, and Blue Lake excels for canning, freezing, or pickling.
Pole Beans vs Bush Beans:
A properly tended pole bean trellis saves garden space while producing approximately 3 quarts (three-fourths gallon) of beans per linear foot. On average, gardeners can expect to pick twice as many trellised pole beans per linear foot compared to row-planted bush beans.
However, Kentucky Wonder pole beans begin to form strings if not harvested at five inches in length, whereas Blue Lake pole beans will not form strings regardless of length.
TIP: When selecting wire or netting for trellises, be certain that the mesh if large enough for your hand to pass through to pick beans on the opposite side.
Bush varieties are knee-high plants which produce most of their crop at once, so if you're able to can, freeze, or give away gallons of beans within one single week of the growing season, these are for you.
Pole varieties are climbing vines that increase yield while reducing planting space, but unlike bush beans, they produce throughout the entire growing season.
My Favorites
Whether they be bush or pole, stringless heirloom green beans can't be topped for flavor or yield. Although both of my favorites are excellent for eating and preserving, Kentucky Wonder is best when cooked and eaten fresh, and Blue Lake excels for canning, freezing, or pickling.
Pole Beans vs Bush Beans:
A properly tended pole bean trellis saves garden space while producing approximately 3 quarts (three-fourths gallon) of beans per linear foot. On average, gardeners can expect to pick twice as many trellised pole beans per linear foot compared to row-planted bush beans.
However, Kentucky Wonder pole beans begin to form strings if not harvested at five inches in length, whereas Blue Lake pole beans will not form strings regardless of length.
TIP: When selecting wire or netting for trellises, be certain that the mesh if large enough for your hand to pass through to pick beans on the opposite side.
PLANT BEANS IN INTERVALS TO LENGTHEN HARVESTS
As mentioned earlier, bush beans produce everything at once and must be canned or frozen within one week's time, but pole beans can be harvested throughout the summer.
To ensure steady production during the growing season, plant half of the trellis on the last frost date, and when the first vines reach a height of two feet, plant the second half of the trellis.
This planting method is shown in the rightward picture with the vines on the leftmost half of the trellis much taller than the seedlings on the right. This will ensure that you won't have more beans than you can eat, freeze, or preserve at once, and don't forget that daily picking increases production.
For further bonuses, harvesting from trellises is easier because visibility is increased while bending and squatting is reduced.
To ensure steady production during the growing season, plant half of the trellis on the last frost date, and when the first vines reach a height of two feet, plant the second half of the trellis.
This planting method is shown in the rightward picture with the vines on the leftmost half of the trellis much taller than the seedlings on the right. This will ensure that you won't have more beans than you can eat, freeze, or preserve at once, and don't forget that daily picking increases production.
For further bonuses, harvesting from trellises is easier because visibility is increased while bending and squatting is reduced.
THE SAME TRELLIS AS ABOVE, BUT WITH MATURE VINES
Shown at right is the same eight-foot long trellis pictured above but photographed two months later.
Note that the vines on the left half of the trellis are darker with no visible white blossoms which indicates that they've passed their peak and are in decline.
Note that the right half that was planted later has lighter green foliage and dozens of visible blossoms ready to form beans.
This eight foot long trellis planted in two intervals produced 6 gallons of beans (24 quarts) over the growing season.
Planting in intervals not only allows us to eat fresh beans throughout the Summer, it allows extra time for canning and preserving the rest.
TIP: To prevent overcrowding your trellis, plant pole beans 3 inches apart, then thin plants to 6 inch apart after sprouting.
Note that the vines on the left half of the trellis are darker with no visible white blossoms which indicates that they've passed their peak and are in decline.
Note that the right half that was planted later has lighter green foliage and dozens of visible blossoms ready to form beans.
This eight foot long trellis planted in two intervals produced 6 gallons of beans (24 quarts) over the growing season.
Planting in intervals not only allows us to eat fresh beans throughout the Summer, it allows extra time for canning and preserving the rest.
TIP: To prevent overcrowding your trellis, plant pole beans 3 inches apart, then thin plants to 6 inch apart after sprouting.