![]() Many people use the term runner bean to mean any pole bean, but the runner is a different species, being wider and somewhat “fuzzy,” and requiring cooler growing conditions. All snap beans are grown as annuals in this country. However, while the pole beans are slower to mature, they produce a heavy crop in a limited space and also bear, longer, so they are ideal for a small garden. Though the bean quality is the same, bush beans make a faster start, grow for a shorter period, and are harvested sooner than poles. Snap beans are available either as bush varieties, to be planted in rows or beds, or as pole beans, whose twining vines require support in the form of poles, strings, wires or trellises. The young beans require a minimum of cooking and are often served whole. ![]() Such beans should be picked while they are still very tender, and their name comes from the sound made by the crisp pods as they are taken from the vine or broken. Snap beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) are known by various other names: green beans, wax beans, haricots verts and string beans, although the last term is not nearly as accurate as it was prior to the development of a stringless variety in the 1890s. If the roots are left in the ground after the tops are removed (or plowed under), the nitrogen also enriches the soil. An important benefit of legumes is nitrogen fixation: Bacteria in the root nodules of most legumes convert nitrogen in the air into a form usable by the plants. When early explorers first returned home with these natives of Central and South America, Europeans used them not as food crops but as ornamentals.Īll beans–as well as many other plants, including peas–belong to the Leguminosae family. Finally, bean plants–with their butterflylike blossoms in shades of red, pink or white–are downright pretty. And no wonder! They thrive in nearly every section of the country, tolerate soils that range from sandy to clay, and produce an abundant crop in around 50 days. Green beans and wax beans (otherwise known as snap beans), whose flavor complements that of many other homegrown vegetables, can be transformed into salads, soups, stews and a multitude of side dishes and casseroles.īeans are, in fact, the third most commonly grown garden vegetable in the United States, outranked only by tomatoes and peppers. Along with nutrition comes culinary versatility. Clutching the container to his chest, he’d set off on his little adventures, munching bean pods as if they were pretzel sticks.Īnd I couldn’t have been more pleased with his choice of snack, because, even when cooked, both green and yellow (or wax) beans are extremely low in fat and contain wholesome amounts of potassium and vitamins A, B 1, B 2 and C, as well as some phosphorus, calcium and iron. Nothing made him happier than a plastic cup stuffed with whole cooked beans. Many young children learn to dread the same parental liturgy: “Eat your beans they’re good for you.” But that wasn’t the case with my two-year-old son. Home Organization News, Blog, & Articles.Energy Efficiency News, Blog, & Articles.The varieties within these two types are listed below. Green beans are separated into two types - bush varieties and pole varieties. Beans will flower twice and provide a second harvest. When pods are large enough to eat, harvest by pulling the pods off the plant, taking care not to break the stem. The immature pod is the part that is eaten. Thin plants by cutting excess seedlings with scissors to avoid disturbing the roots of neighboring seedlings. When seedlings are growing well, thin the plants to 4 to 6 inches apart. Keep the soil evenly moist until the beans have pushed through the ground. Or, plant them in inverted hills, five or six seeds to a hill, with 30 inches of space around each hill.įor pole bean varieties, set the trellis at the time of planting to avoid disturbing the roots. Seeds of pole beans should be planted 4 to 6 inches apart in rows 30 to 36 inches apart. For bush beans, plant the seeds 2 inches apart in single rows or wide rows. Plant seeds an inch deep, directly in the garden. You can plant bush beans every two weeks to extend the harvest, or you can start with bush beans and follow up with pole beans.
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