Common bean

This page is about Common, Green, String, Snap, or Dry Beans. For similar plants try Lima, Broad/Fava or Runner Beans, and the List of beans.

Plant Characteristics

Lifespan:	⌛	annual

Cultivation

Exposure:	☼	full sun"full sun" is not in the list (sun, part-sun, shade, unknown) of allowed values for the "Exposure" property.
Water:	◍	regular"regular" is not in the list (wet, moist, moderate, dry, less when dormant) of allowed values for the "Water" property.
Features:	✓	edible
Sunset Zones:		[[Sunset zones::allsn]]

Scientific Names

Fabaceae >

Phaseolus >

vulgaris >

Planted most widely, the common bean is also known as Green bean, Snap bean, String bean or Dry bean. They produce fleshy, tender pods which can be eaten fresh, while some varieties are also kept until the pods ripen and the beans can be collected and eaten fresh or dried and stored. Pods may be green, yellow (wax beans) or purple. The purple pods will turn green if cooked. Plants types are either smaller, self-supporting erect bush types, which produce sooner, or much taller pole types, which are vines that produce more over the course of the season, and need support.

Cultivation

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Water regularly, occasional deep watering is better than frequent light watering. The latter can contribute to mildew. When plants are actively growing, you can fertilize them, then again when pods start to grow. Depending on variety, pods will form after 50-70 days. Harvest every 5-7 days. Once pods are allow to mature, production stops.

Propagation

Plant seeds when the soil is warm, or indoors for a headstart, then set out when soil is warm. Plant an inch deep in full sun and good soil, which has been loosened a bit so the heavy seeds can emerge. Bush types can be planted 1-3 inches apart in rows which are 2-3 feet apart. Pole type planting depends on support system, but a wigwam of 3 or 4 8ft poles can have have 6-8 beans planted on each pole, and thinned to 4, as can single poles, 3 or 4 feet apart. Poles may be placed closer as well, just 1-2 feet apart, and seeds planted in rows as well, every 1-3 inches. You can also of course sow along a sunny wall, fence, or trellis and train the vines with light strings supported by wires or heavy twine. Water ground thoroughly before planting, and do not water again until seedlings emerge.

Pests and diseases

Mexican bean beetles, aphids, cucumber beetles, whiteflies, mildew.

Varieties

Bush beans and Pole beans.

Gallery

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See also

• List of beans
• Lima Bean
• Broad/Fava Bean
• Runner Bean

References

• Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608

External links

• w:Common bean. Some of the material on this page may be from Wikipedia, under the Creative Commons license.
• Common bean QR Code (Size 50, 100, 200, 500)