Height: pole, 8–1 5 ' ;
bush, 10 – 2 4"Width: pole, 8–1 2 " ;
bush, 6–8"Depth: 3 6–48"; shallow
but wide spreadingBeans
Annual
Wat e r : Light; more after blooms but try to keep the
foliage dry to avoid disease
Sun : Full
Companion Planting :
pro: Bush/pole beans, carrots, celery, chard
con: Beets, cabbage, onions
Pests : Aphids, bean leaf beetles, cabbage loopers, slugs,
whitefl ies
Diseases : Anthracnose, blight, mildew, crown rot
Soil: Humus-rich, loose, well-drained; add nitrogen
fixing bacteria in new garden
Fertilizer: Low nitrogen, moderate phosphorus,
potassium
pH: 6.0–6.8
Varieties :
in the pod: Blue Lake (bushy pole), Venture (extra
early bush)
horticultural/shell: Borlotti (red/cream),
Great Northern White, King of the Garden (lima), fava
Zones : 3–11
Planting : Spring, seed 1-inch deep when soil is 65ºF
and above, from then on every 10 days; also in fall for a
winter crop
Germinate: 4–10 days
Blooms : Summer
Harvest: Bush variety, 45–60 days; pole variety, 60–85
days
Rotation: Alternate with leafy greens like chard; leave
bed for 3 years before reseeding with beans
Edible: Seeds and, in some cases, podsBEANS • 81