How to Care for Bush Snap Beans

Bush snap beans, also known as string beans, are one of the most common varieties found in gardens. They are easy to grow in nearly any temperate climate and require little tending. Snap beans grow on a thick, bush-like plant and are often harvested when the pod is young and tender. You can also harvest and shell the beans once the seeds have grown larger. Although they don't need much attention, your plants will be more productive if you give them the care they need.

Things You'll Need

• 6-12-12 fertilizer

Instructions

1. Plant correctly. For the best growth, plant your bush beans in a sunny area with rich soil. Plant them in rows that are three feet apart and spread the seeds four inches from each other. Plant when the nightly temperature doesn't drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit and the daytime temperature is around 70 degrees. Don't plant them when it's cooler, as this could impede germination and cause the seeds to rot.

2. Give them room. Young bush beans are susceptible to choking by fast-growing weeds. Keep the seedlings free of weeds and thin the bean plants so they are no closer than four inches apart.

3. Water conservatively. Beans need a steady supply of water throughout the season to grow properly. Keep the soil consistently damp--not soaked. Instead of watering the beans once or twice a week, check the soil daily and water lightly when it seems dry.

4. Don't overfeed. Beans--and other legumes--don't use as much nitrogen as other plants. Using too much nitrogen-based fertilizer can burn the roots and impede growth. According to the Fort State Valley University's Cooperative extension, bush snap beans do best with three three-pound sprinklings of 6-12-12 fertilizer per 100-foot row: once at planting and twice during growth.

5. Watch for pests. Bush snap beans are unfortunately susceptible to a wide array of blight and pests, so check your beans daily for signs of problems. Your local agricultural extension can help you identify pests and the proper prevention method for your area.

6. Harvest carefully. You can easily damage bean plants by handling the crop too roughly. When harvesting, hold the top of the bean pod with one hand and the stem that attaches the bean pods to the plant with the other. Carefully exert pressure on the bean pod. It's all right if the stem comes off with the bean pod, but try not to pull any leaves off with it.

7. Continue to care for the beans. With proper care, you can expect up to four harvests from a bush snap bean plant.

Tips & Warnings

• When deciding what type of bean to plant, decide how you want to use them. If you want traditional "green beans" in the pod, choose a stingless, tender-shelled variety. If you want to shell them, choose a variety that yields large, sweet beans. The three numbers for fertilizer (such as 6-12-12 for beans) denote the concentration of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, respectively, per 100 pounds of fertilizer. In this case, 100 pounds of fertilizer contains 6 pounds of nitrogen material, 12 pounds of phosphorous material, 12 pounds of potassium material and 70 pounds of "filler" material.

• Bush snap beans will not grow in temperatures below 50 degrees. Temperatures above 85 degrees cause "bloom drop," which will prevent the bean pods from growing.

References

• Fort State Valley University: Growing Bush Snap Beans
• University of Tennessee Extension: Commercial Bush Snapbean Production
• University of Missouri Extension: Fertilizing Shade Trees