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How many green bean plants do you need to plant to make the harvest worthwhile for one person eating at home or maybe sharing with another?

I planted 8 feet begining of May. I'll plant another short row June. Same with my peas.
Unless you are going to can or preserve them you don't want them all to be ready at the same time.

We had about twenty plants climbing an A frame trellis. We finally resorted to putting shopping bags of beans on our neighbours door handles to get rid of them all.  :laugh:

Hugs, Devlyn

I'd just like to add that even if you only had one tiny plant but got to harvest a handful of "just picked" goodness, it would be worthwhile.  :)

For beginner gardeners, it's important to know that pole beans grow long vines and produce beans over a longer period. Bush beans generally stay compact and let you pick all your beans in one or two harvests.

Quote from: Devlyn on May 13, 2025, 07:13:36 AMI'd just like to add that even if you only had one tiny plant but got to harvest a handful of "just picked" goodness, it would be worthwhile.  :)

For beginner gardeners, it's important to know that pole beans grow long vines and produce beans over a longer period. Bush beans generally stay compact and let you pick all your beans in one or two harvests.

Maybe I will try some bush growing style beans.

What Devlyn says. I grow both bush and pole beans. Both are productive, but I much prefer harvesting the pole beans - standing vs. bending over. Both also produce continuously for 3 or 4 months. Depending on conditions (and yoyr appetite), a couple of plants could be enough.

I use long, flexible bamboo canes to support the pole beans, and then I bend them down and tie them together to form an arch so that they're easily accessible to wee folks like my wife and me.

Quote from: flowers_and_trees on May 13, 2025, 07:59:11 AMWhat Devlyn says. I grow both bush and pole beans. Both are productive, but I much prefer harvesting the pole beans - standing vs. bending over. Both also produce continuously for 3 or 4 months. Depending on conditions (and yoyr appetite), a couple of plants could be enough.

I use long, flexible bamboo canes to support the pole beans, and then I bend them down and tie them together to form an arch so that they're easily accessible to wee folks like my wife and me.

Thank you for your ideas and comments.

Any thoughts based on you growing lettuce, or melons, or cantaloupes?

I bought a bush style green bean plant.  I might buy another if they have any left and they run a sale.


Chrissy

Green thumbs crossed for you!  :)

Hugs, Devlyn

@Devlyn


I bought them out with a special deal, seven plants at 50 cents each.

They are all bush plants.  We shall see how they grow. Got to make some new space for them though.  If these make too much I think they can be frozen and of course, shared.  Or eaten many consecutive days!  I will go organic so maybe the bugs will get to some of the plants.  We shall see.

Chrissy

Awesome! I hope you get a good haul!

Hugs, Devlyn

Using seeds likely would have been cheaper.

Chrissy

Someone told me to expect maybe 30-36 beans per bush style green bean plant.

Quote from: Devlyn on May 13, 2025, 07:13:36 AMI'd just like to add that even if you only had one tiny plant but got to harvest a handful of "just picked" goodness, it would be worthwhile.  :)

For beginner gardeners, it's important to know that pole beans grow long vines and produce beans over a longer period. Bush beans generally stay compact and let you pick all your beans in one or two harvests.

I have beans that sprouted from the bush beans plants.  They have been enlarging.  I have not picked any.

Chrissy

Like a baseball that appears bigger the closer it gets to you, time makes my green beans bigger!
But they are actually getting bigger!

This growth over the days is quite exciting, far more exciting to me than watching paint dry.

Seriously, this is my first time that I planted bush beans so it is nice to see them grow and produce.


Chrissy

The first harvest of bush style green beans resulted in a nice meal.
One plant seems to be a dud but the rest still have beans and flowers.


Chrissy

This is great news, Chrissy! I still have micro-beans that are growing larger. I hope you get many more.

We're starting to pick peppers here. I grabbed 14 Jalapenos (1/2 lb) to make jelly. Biquinhos are starting to ripen up too. Orange and yellow Habanero are green but have quite a few peppers. KSLS are running slow but I have time. Serrano, Citron, and Cayenne were started late, so we'll see what happens.

Hugs, Devlyn

Mum has a 5 to 6 ft double row, she gets a few good pickings (French beans ) and an 8ft double row of runner beans.

I picked a green pepper.

Looks like the one "dud" plants is coming around with some green beans!

I could pick some banana peppers soon.

I will be able to have more beans to pick.  Next year I will grow more of the green beans and will add carrots and perhaps potatoes.  I might be able to try to start these last two this year but we will see.  I have almost all of my garden area occupied and I do not feel like making new  space available right now.  I may try some later season crops though or early season crops next year, things that will tolerate the cooler weather that eventually will arrive. 

I gave more room for sweet potatoes but I used fewer plants.
I will be curious to see if they produce bigger sweet potatoes.

Chrissy

I have harvested two crops of green beens on all plants except one gave one harvest.
Two of these bush bean plants look like they have more beans to pick.

Yummy.



Chrissy

I picked what I believe will be the last of my bush green beans.

I am very pleased with the results and may have more of these plants next year.


Chrissy