How to Grow Bush Beans

Bush beans are a common variety of bean that produce long, thin green beans. The plant itself is more of a bush, rather than a stalk or a vine. As it grows, you will see that bush beans produce a large amount of beans, and quickly. You can often harvest them once or twice per season, often times even more. In addition, bush beans grow well in many zones.

Instructions

1. Determine if you are in the best area to grow these beans. They do best where they will have a good amount of sunlight, at least six to eight hours a day. Air temperatures ranging from 70 to 80 degrees F will work well, as long as the soil remains at least 60 degrees F.

2. Check your soil to find out if bush beans grow well there, or if you need to add additional nutrients. Loose sandy soil does well for beans because they have no problems digging through it to grow well. A pH above 6.0 is best, as well as having soil that drains well (overly wet soil will cause rot). Add compost and natural matter to the soil to improve how well the plants will do.

3. Plant the bush bean seeds in a long run, with several seeds per inch (later you can thin them if necessary.) They should be planted about one inch in depth and with rows at least two feet apart. The seeds can be directly planted to the ground in most climates, or can be transplanted within two to four weeks of planting the seeds indoors.

4. Keep the seeds and the plants well watered, but not overdone. A deep watering one time per week is needed for the first few weeks until the plants sprout. Afterward, water less frequently, just to keep the soil damp.

5. Harvest the bush beans when the beans (fruit) grow to about three to four inches in length. Pick them from the stem, where new beans will likely grow. The plants will continue to produce fruit throughout the season, and should be checked for new ripened plants every week.