Harvest Type:  Single

Transplant/Direct Sow:  Direct sow

When to Plant:  Direct sow when the overnight temperature is above 55°F

Days to Germinate:  6-10 days

Days to Maturity:  60 days

Planting Depth:  1” deep

Germination Temp:  70-80°F

Seed Spacing:  2” apart

Rows:  2 ½  - 3' apart

Light:  Full sun

Soil pH:  6.0-6.8 pH

Water:  2” of water per week

Soil Temperature:  over 65 °F.  This is a heat-loving crop.

Fertilizer:  Bush beans do not require a lot of fertilizer. 5-10-10 N-P-K ratio as needed.

Rotation:  Rotate once every 3-4 years.

Harvest Type

Bush beans are determinate, meaning the crop ripens at the same time. Thus, bush beans are a single-harvest crop. You can stretch that harvest using successive gardening.

TIP: Plant two crops of bush beans one month apart for an extra-large harvest.

Transplant / Direct Sow

Bush beans have tender and delicate roots, so it is best to direct sow them over transplanting them.

When to Plant:

As a heat-loving plant, bush beans are best planted when the nighttime temperature is consistently above 55°F. They prefer a soil temperatures around 65°F.

Days to germinate

6-10 days

Days to maturity

It takes about 60 days for bush beans to mature.

Planting Depth

Plant seeds 1" deep.

TIP: Keep soil moist but not wet. Some suggest soaking the beans overnight in water and then sowing them.

Germination Temperature Range

Bush beans germinate when the ambient temperature is 70-80°F degrees, and the soil temperature is around 65°F.

Spacing Between Plants

Bush beans have small root zones, so you can plant seeds 2" apart. They can be bushy, so keep the rows at least 2' apart.

Growing conditions

Bush beans are nitrogen-fixing plants. They do not require a lot of fertilization for good crop production. Keep the soil well-drained and moist. The soil pH should be just slightly acidic.

Companion Plants

Cucumber is excellent to grow with bush beans. Be sure to grow the cucumber vertically. Beets, peas, radish, and most herbs do well with bush beans.

Rotation

Rotate bush beans every 3-4 years as they help fix nitrogen in the soil. In between rotations, amend the ground with a 5-10-10 N-P-K ratio fertilizer or organic compost.

Anticipated yields

Plan your garden yield at 4-6 pounds of beans per ten-foot row.  If you plan your yield per person, plant 10-20 plants per person.