DIY Network

Bean-Planting 101 Bean-Planting 101 From "Fresh from the Garden" episode DFFG-111

Beans are not only a nutritious, tasty and versatile food -- they're also easy to grow! Here, learn all you need to know for planting and harvesting a healthy bean crop....

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	Pole beans
	Bush beans
	You can help speed up the germination process by pouring a layer of bean seeds into a screw-top jar, then lightly spraying them with water.
	Be sure to use breathing protection when you shake Rhizobia inoculant powder over the bean seed in the jar.
	After planting the seed, you may want to place a label at the end of the rows to identify what is planted in the row.

Tools and Supplies:

Fertilizer
Pole bean seeds
Bush bean seeds
Soil thermometer
Garden hoe
Construction paper
Water can or garden hose with misting nozzle
Glass jar
Rake
Perforated plastic bags
Rhizobia inoculant
Row labels
Contact paper

• Beans come in so many varieties, they're almost impossible to count! Bush beans have a compact, branched form and grow close to the ground. Pole beans are vining plants that need to climb a trellis or other support. Some gardeners like bush beans better than pole beans because they produce a lot of pods in a short time frame and don't have to be staked. However, bush beans do take up more space in the garden since they spread.

• Now it is very easy to grow beans from seed -- it is even recommended that you don't start seeds inside. Beans do not like to be transplanted. But before you plant seeds, you should enrich the soil. You should rake in fertilizer about 2 weeks before sowing or planting. Once the soil is prepped, you should lightly water the bed. You want the bed moist but not wet. Most bean seed varieties tend to crack and germinate poorly if the soil is too moist. Just lightly water just after planting or plant right before a heavy rain.

• To help speed up the germination process, you can pour a layer of bean seeds into a jar with a screw top and then lightly spray them with water. Then pour in another layer of seeds and mist with water until all the seeds are lightly coated. Next, you shake Rhizobia inoculant powder over the bean seed. You can find the inoculants at garden centers listed as legume inoculants. The inocculant is a bacteria that will help the seeds to better absorb nitrogen. Beans will produce really well with the help of soil-borne bacteria. After securing the top, shake the jar until the seeds are coated with the black powder. Be sure to germinate the bush and pole beans in separate jars.

• You should plant beans in full sun in fertile, well-drained soil. The location should receive about 6 hours of sunlight a day and the ground should be at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit. To sow the seeds in double rows, use the edge of a hoe to draw out a straight, shallow trench. Next, to check the soil temperature, insert a soil thermometer into the ground at the level indicated on the sensors. The temperature should be at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit otherwise the soil will not create food for the plants. Next, use a garden hose equipped with a misting nozzle to lightly mist the dry soil.

• You sow the bush bean seed along the trench placing one to two seeds about 1 inch deep in the soil. Be sure to sow sparingly to reduce the amount of thinning that will have to be done later. Use a rake to pull the soil over the seed and then gently tamp down the soil along the row with the flat of the rake and then lightly rake over the bed. Cover the seeds according to the depth given on seed packages. Seeds covered too deeply may not sprout.

• After planting the seed, you may want to place a label at the end of the rows to identify what is planted in the row. This will be especially helpful if you plan to sow a plentiful garden.