Pole beans are easy to grow and harvest, with a variety of cultivars available. Native to South America, they were part of the “three sisters” with corn and squash. Plant in warm soil and stake the vines. Green beans mature in 10 days, and dry beans can be left on the vine. Avoid handling when moist and plant before cold weather.
Pole beans are beans that grow to grow in the form of vines that cling to posts or trellises. Their growth habit makes them very easy to harvest, and many commercial bean producers grow beans for this reason. These beans are also very easy to grow at home as long as you live in a temperate to warm climate. A number of pole cultivars are available, ranging from snow-white beans to colored beans; for greater diversity, you can plant several varieties in your garden.
The scientific name for the common bean is Phaeolus vulgaris. These beans are native to South America where they have been grown as a staple food for centuries. South Americans have also developed a wide variety of bean cultivars adapted to specific soils or regions. Some have also been grown for specific traditional recipes. When Europeans reached the Americas, they were introduced to the common beans and they became a big hit when imported into Europe.
To Native Americans, beans were one of the “three sisters,” three staple foods that grew well together and provided an immense amount of nutrition. The other two sisters were corn and squash. Pole beans could be trained to grow stalks of corn, while squash could be planted between rows of corn. These three ingredients have been used in many traditional dishes and continue to be popular today.
Growing beans is extremely simple. Start by getting seeds from a garden store; some seeds are specifically designed to produce green or split beans, beans that are harvested young and eaten whole. Others are intended to make dry beans that can be stored over the winter. When the last chance of frost has passed and ambient temperatures remain stable, plant the beans in loamy, gritty soil that has been mixed with compost or other organic material. Within a few days, the beans will sprout and you can set up stakes or trellises to support the vines.
The green beans will mature within 10 days of flowering, which generally happens about two months after the beans are planted. If you want a constant supply of fresh green beans, you can stagger your plantings; just remember that beans die in cold winter weather, so stop planting about two months before the cold weather sets in. You can also leave the beans on the vine to make dry beans.
Bean plants are very sensitive to cold and humidity. As the beans grow, make sure the entire plant is staked off the ground, so it doesn’t rot. Also avoid handling beans when they are moist, as you may inadvertently contribute to the spread of bean diseases.
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