How To Grow Bush Beans Step By Step

Bush beans are among the most popular plants that are planted in most homes especially if you are new to the home gardening system because they are quite easy to grow and manage. Bush beans grow in the form of shrubs thereby forming a bushy shape. They can also be described as beans that grow into bushes.

They are sometimes described as snap beans oftentimes also called string beans. They do not form vines and do not require any form of support. Bush bean plants take about 6 to 7 weeks to grow to their full size.

They also come in a variety of colors like purple, green, or yellow pods and they also come in different shapes which can be flat, short, long, round, or broad. When they are planted they don’t take up much space and they are quite suitable for your gardens.

All bean plants generally are warm weather-loving plants and are best planted in soil with direct access to sunlight. This is also applicable to bush beans.

Related: Pole Beans Vs Bush Beans – Which One To Plant And Grow?

HOW TO PLANT BUSH BEANS

The first thing to note is that like most bean families, it is best advised to sow bush beans seed directly into the soil. When you get your plant seeds, plant them using the following steps:

The seeds should be planted about one inch deep and about two to three inches apart after which you can then cover the hole with the soil.
You can plant them in multiple rows and give at least 18 inches between each row. Plant the bush beans seed in the sunny part of your garden.

Ensure that the threat of frost has passed before planting the bush bean plant. After planting the seeds into the soil, sprinkle water lightly on the soil surface to settle the soil and nourish the plants which help to boost their germination.

Try to always keep the beans moist but be careful not to overwater the plant and waterlog the soil while the plant is growing. The bush bean plant should start germinating between six to seven days.

Once the plants have started germinating and producing leaves you can thin them down by sharing them which leaves them at least 6 inches apart.

Tip: Learn more about growing pole beans

HOW TO GROW BUSH BEANS

For your bush beans to grow and germinate correctly, the following must be put in place and into consideration:

TEMPERATURE: Bush beans grow well in soil with a temperature that ranges from 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not be in a hurry to sow your seeds especially when the weather has not warmed up.

SOIL FERTILITY: They can be sown into soil that is rich in organic matter and well-draining soil. Compost and manure can also be added to the soil ahead to help boost soil fertility before planting.

SUNLIGHT: Bush beans need full access to sunlight. They require between 6-8 hours of sunlight.

SOIL PH: They thrive well in soil with a PH range of 6.0-7.0 which is slightly acidic or neutral soil.

WATERING: Water the soil evenly and try to keep them moist by watering the plant correctly. Also when watering your bean plant, try to sprinkle the water at the ground level or on the surface of the soil and not on the leaves to avoid diseases and fungal invasion.

Related: How To Grow Pole Beans On A Trellis

WEEDS: Try to weed your plants regularly and quickly as soon as you sight the weeds. Note also that for bean plants their roots are shallow so shallow hoeing or hand picking of weeds should be done carefully.

Mulching: You can spread the mulch around the surrounding plant and this can also help to control weeds and retain soil moisture.

HARVESTING: When the plants start producing, the bush beans can be handpicked for harvesting. This can be done by watching out for the pods that are firm and properly full in shape, note that the pods must not be fully matured before harvesting them. Also, avoid breaking off the plant during harvest so that they can keep producing. Do not harvest when the plants are wet.

FERTILIZER: You can add fertilizer to boost the soil nutrients in cases where the soil fertility is very low before planting. Although try to avoid using heavy nitrogen fertilizer because the bean plant themselves are nitrogen fixers i.e. they produce their own nitrogen which also helps fertility.

Lastly, to get your bush bean plant to continue production, as the pods appear, keep removing them and harvesting them to generate more production. You can also keep planting seeds every 2 weeks to get a continued harvest.

Conclusion

I hope this article helps you understand how to grow bush beans. I would like to hear from you. Let me know if you have any questions about growing bush beans.
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