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Green Bean
Phaseolus vulgaris
Quick to crop, easy to save seed from, and a nitrogen-fixer to boot.
Sun
Full sun
Water
Deep, weekly
Soil
Well-drained, pH 6.0–7.0
Spacing
10 cm apart
Days to harvest
50–70 days
Hardiness
Zones 3–10 (annual)
Seasonal Calendar
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Sow Harvest
The method
- 1
Wait for warmth
Sow directly when soil is above 15°C. Cold seed rots.
- 2
Support climbers
Runner beans and pole beans need a 2 m frame from day one.
- 3
Water at flowering
Consistent water while flowering is critical to fruit set.
- 4
Pick often
Pick pods before beans bulge — this keeps the plant flowering.
Common problems
Blackfly on tips
Pinch out the growing tip when the plant reaches the top of the support.
No flowers set
Usually heat or dry roots. Mulch and water thoroughly.
Good neighbors
CornSquashCarrot
Field tips
- “Dwarf ('bush') varieties give an earlier, more concentrated crop.”
- “Leave a few pods to fully mature and dry — save the beans for next year's seed.”