Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris)

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Phaseolus vulgaris

Contents:
Types of Beans
Conditions, Maintenance and Harvest
Diseases
Insects
Recipes

Types of Beans

Beans are usually divided into three types, though there is considerable overlap.

Green and Yellow Snap Beans
These used to be called string beans, but the string has been bred out of most varieties. They come in bush and pole varieties. Pole beans will require some form of support, and will produce the heaviest yield.
Shell Beans
These include lima beans, southern peas, and horticultural beans.
Dry Beans
Dry beans come from plants that have completed their growth and produced hard, dry seeds inside their pods. When mature, the beans are packed with protein.

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Conditions, Maintenance and Harvest

Planting Time
Plant mid-spring to late-summer. Be sure cold snaps are over and danger of frost has passed.
Soil
Neutral or alkaline pH, well drained. Root system is shallow
Sowing Seeds
Sow seeds directly into beds. Climbing beans should be 6 inches apart in rows 3 feet apart. Dwarf varieties should be spaced 2 inches apart.
Fertilizer
Beans don't need much nitrogen since they are able to take nitrogen from the air and fix it on their roots. Add lime if the soil is acidic. Rich soil or soil to which compost has been added will be fine until beans begin to flower. At this time, side dress with manure or additional compost.
Sun
Plant in full sun.
Temperature
Beans can't tolerate frost, needs warm soil
Support
Climbing varieties require trellises, poles, or other means of support at least 8 feet tall.
Watering
Watering is a must in most areas because of the shallow root system. At a minimum, beans should be watered after sowing, when seedlings appear and during flowering.
Maintenance
Hill rows with soil during early growth to protect against wind. Take care when weeding seedlings because the roots are near the surface.
Harvesting
Dwarf beans will mature in about 10 weeks and climbing beans will be ready in 10-12 weeks. Frequent picking will result in increased flowering and greater yields. Be careful when pulling the pods off so as not to damage the vines. The pods are ready to pick when they snap easily and seeds are not yet fully developed. Avoid harvesting in very hot or very cold weather.

Bean Diseases

The most common bean diseases are anthracnose, bacterial blights, common bean mosaic, and rust. Try growing varieties that are resistant to these diseases. A good seed catalog will point these out. Here are some tips for preventing disease:\

Stay out of the garden when plants are wet.
Rotate the bean crop each year to avoid soil-borne diseases.
Use mulch for walkways to prevent rain from splashing soil and disease spores on the plants.
Never leave dead plant material in the garden, as this encourages disease.

Bean Insects

Insect	Description	Solution
Mexican Bean Beetle	16-spotted lady bug type, round, about 1/4" long. Larvae are light yellow, covered with bristles. They feed from the bottom side of leaves and sometimes nibble on stems. Leaves will appear skeletonized.	Clear debris after harvest-keep garden clean in winter. Interplant with potatoes, nasturtiums, garlic, or savory. Plant resistant varieties of beans. Handpick daily. Turn over leaves to look for clusters of yellow eggs. Pediobius foviolatus, a wasp, is a commercially available parasite. A spray made from boiling cedar chips may act as a deterrent. If all else fails, try pyrenthrum or rotenone and pyrethrum
Japanese Beetle	Adult is metallic green with copper wing covers. About ½" long and 1/4" wide.Larvae is a dingy white grub with a brown head. It grows to 1 inch and has ten abdominal segments. Leaves will appear skeletonized.	Grow borage as a trap crop; grow white geranium, garlic, and rue as repellent plants. Plant resistant varieties of beans. Handpick by shaking infested leaves over a can with a little kerosene in it. Milky Spore Disease is lethal to grubs but harmless to plants and animals. Don't apply with insecticide, as the insecticide will kill off the host. Commercially available parasites include Beneficial nematodes attack the larvae. Two wasps which attack the larvae: the fall tiphia (Tiphia Popilliavora) and the spring tiphia (Tiphia vernalis) Two tachinid flies which parasitize adults (Hyperectein aldrichi and Prosena siberita) Bated traps will usually solve even the worst Japanese Beetle problem.
Aphids	Tiny (less than 1/10 inch) soft bodied pear shaped insects with whiplike antennae. Varied in color. Leaves turn yellow.	Plant alliums such as garlic and chives. Anise, coriander, nasturtiums, and petunias may be helpful. Use sticky yellow traps or yellow dishes containing soapy water. Soap-Shield and mint tea spray is highly effective. Lacewings will eat 100 aphids per day.
Red Spider Mite		These mites appear when conditions are dry, so spray the underside of leaves daily during dry spells. If your plants are infested, apply sulfur. The powder will stick better early in the morning when the plants are damp.

Recipes