How to Grow Pole Beans

Edited by Katy Linsao, Nicole Willson, Maluniu, Inspector V and 1 other

 

Green beans are the second most popular vegetable grown in home gardens, topped only by tomatoes. Pole beans are a variety of green beans that scale fences or stakes. If your garden space is limited, growing pole beans may conserve ground area while adding a dimension of height to your garden layout.

Prepare the Ground

Decide where to plant your pole beans.

o   Select an area that receives full sunlight. When you cultivate pole beans, they need plenty of sunshine.

o   Choose an area next to a fence or plan on installing poles at least 3 feet (91.44 cm) high.

Break up your soil with a shovel, hoe, or rototiller. To plant green beans, the soil needs to be crumbly and free of weeds.

Test the ph level of your soil with a soil tester. You can purchase soil testers at a nursery or garden shop, or bring a small sample of dirt to the nursery and ask them to test it for you. When you cultivate pole beans, they prefer a ph balance of 6.5.

o   If the ph balance is too low, add between 4 oz. (.113 kg) and 18 oz. (.510 kg) of lime per square yard (91.44 cm) to your soil to make it more alkaline.

o   If the ph balance is too high, try adding wood chips, pine needles or sawdust to your soil to raise the acid level.

Determine if you want to plant green beans in rows or in hills.

Use a garden hoe to make the rows or hills. Space rows 30 inches (76.20 cm) to 36 inches (91.44 cm) apart when cultivating pole beans, or separate hills by 30 inches (76.20 cm).

Plant Your Seeds

Wait until there is no danger of frost. A late frost may kill growing pole beans.

Bury 4 to 8 seeds 2 inches (5.08 cm) deep on hills, or plant seeds 2 inches (5.08 cm) deep, 3 inches (7.62 cm) from each other in rows.

Cover each seed with soil and then water them. When you plant green beans, you want to water them right away.

Take Care of Pole Beans

Weed your pole beans regularly. When cultivating pole beans, you want them to obtain all the nutrients from the soil, and weeds will diminish their supply.

Water your pole beans. When growing pole beans, you may have to water them every day.

Add a layer of mulch to help control weeds and contain the moisture in the ground.

Tie the pole bean stalks to the fence or stakes with string. This will ensure that growing pole beans remain vertical.

Harvest Pole Beans

Start harvesting pole beans that are long and firm right away. When you are growing pole beans, they will produce more flowers that will turn into beans if you pick them every day. Do not pick wet beans and be careful not to break stems and branches.

Eat fresh beans right from the garden, or store them in the refrigerator.

Blanch pole beans and put them in the freezer to save them for future use.

Tips

• Green beans are a carbohydrate food and provide protein, Vitamin C, fiber and beta carotene to your diet.

The entire link can be found at:  http://www.wikihow.com/Grow-Pole-Beans