How to Companion Plant Bush & Pole Beans
Canned or frozen green beans purchased from a local grocery store just can't beat the taste of green beans fresh-picked from your own plants. Beans grow particularly well when grown alongside plants that benefit from similar growing conditions. Bush and pole beans are well-suited for companion planting, with many garden vegetables and herbs offering cultural benefits when planted nearby. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Small shovel
- Spade
- Aged manure
- Peat moss
- Tiller
- Companion plant seeds or transplants
Instructions
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Select a planting location that provides your vegetables with six to eight hours of direct sunlight each day and nutrient-rich, well-draining soil.
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Clear the planting area before planting your vegetables. Pull up any grass or weeds that are growing and use a small hand shovel to dig up their root systems. Remove any debris that is littering the surface of the soil.
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Spread a 3-inch layer of aged manure over the surface of your planting area. Sprinkle an entire 8- to 10-quart bag of peat moss over the layer of aged manure. Till them into the top 12 inches of soil to ensure your vegetables will have the nutrients they need to flourish.
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Wait to plant your beans until the threat of frost has passed and the soil has warmed to at least 50 degrees F. Plant your beans in planting holes no more than 1 1/2-inch deep. Place the holes for bush beans 2 to 4 inches apart in rows spaced 2 to 3 feet apart. Pole beans should be planted 6 to 10 inches apart in rows spaced 3 to 4 feet apart.
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Select companion plants for your bush or pole beans. Both bush and pole beans perform well when planted alongside potatoes, carrots, cucumbers, corn, lettuce, peas, radishes, eggplant, savory, rosemary and tansy. Beets do well when planted near bush beans, but fail to thrive when companion planted with pole beans.
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Plant low-growing companion plants like potatoes, carrots and lettuce in front of pole or bush beans to ensure they have ample access to sunlight; plant tall vegetables like corn or cucumbers behind lower-growing bush beans for the same reason. For best results, plant companion vegetables using the planting depth and spacing recommendations for their particular vegetable type.
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Tips & Warnings
Planting cucumber or strawberry plants at the base of your bush beans will help discourage the growth of weeds.
Do not plant onion, garlic or shallot near your bush or pole bean plants. Planting your beans too close to these particular plants can stunt their growth.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit green beans image by cherie from Fotolia.com
