Green Bean Plants
By Ticara Gailliard, eHow Contributor 
updated: February 15, 2011
The ease of green bean growing makes them popular in vegetable gardens.
Since around 5000 B.C., humans have used green beans as a food source. The plant originally grew in the wild in Central and South America. Green beans, Phaseolus vulgaris, may also be known as snap beans or string beans. The name string beans no longer applies to new beans grown, however; the long, thin string that ran along the seam of the pod has been phased out, with new beans remaining string-free. Several varieties of green beans exist, growing in a much wider area than its original location. When growing green beans, however, certain diseases and insects prove to be problematic.
- Green beans grow as either bush beans or pole beans. Bush beans grow into 1- to 2-foot-tall bushes without any structural support. Pole beans, meanwhile, climb up supports in order to grow. Bush bean varieties include 'Derby,' 'Blue Lake 274,' 'Early Harvest' and 'Extender.' Their ease of growth, high yield and lack of additional support make bush bean varieties popular. The pole bean plants include varieties like 'Kentucky Blue,' 'Kentucky Wonder' and 'Blue Lake.' Differences between bean plants extend past the bush or pole extension. Bean pods produced have different shapes and thicknesses as well. Some bean varieties feature flat pods, while others are oval-shaped or rounded.
- Green beans need warm weather in order to grow and thrive. The plants lack a strong cold tolerance, so a cold snap or a frost damages a harvest. The University of Illinois Extension's "Watch Your Garden Grow" website suggests waiting until at least 7 to 10 days after the average last-frost date for your region. For a constant, assured harvest, plant bean seeds once a week until the first week of August. The plants have shallow root systems, so planting them too deeply may be detrimental. Plant the seeds, spaced about 2 to 4 inches apart, around an inch to an inch and a half deep, for bush beans. Pole beans should be planted at the same depth, but further apart: 4 to 6 inches apart. Rows of beans need about 30 to 36 inches of space between them.
- Once the beans are in the ground, if the ground has enough moisture and nutrients, the seeds begin sprouting after around seven days. Snap beans need fertilizer with a small amount of nitrogen included. The Fort Valley State University College of Agriculture, Family Sciences and Technology recommends using 8 to 10 lbs. of 6-12-12 fertilizer per 100 feet of beans. The different types of beans take different amounts of time to produce a harvest. Generally, bush beans ripen faster than pole beans. Once the bean plants produce flowers, the bean pods are just around the corner. Pods appear 8 to 10 days post-flowering. The pods should be harvested when they are bright green with seeds that are still in development. Waiting for the seeds to fully develop leads to lower quality beans.
- As green beans grow, a number of pests attempt to make a meal out of the plants. Aphids and leafhoppers pose a problem for harvests, as do bean leaf beetles. Bean leaf beetles, as their name suggests, dine on the leaves of the bean plant, occasionally snacking on the pods as well. Small amounts of pests may not damage the yield, but if more than 20 percent of the foliage receives damage, this could be a problem.
While not all cultivars are susceptible to disease, some fall victim to rather nasty infections. Bean mosaic diseases cause the plants to change color, making them look yellowed, and prevent them from producing pods. Bacterial bean blight also causes yellowing, though primarily on the leaves. The pods may also seem water-soaked. Bean plants may also contract root rot and white mold. Diseases can be avoided by growing disease-resistant cultivars and ensuring that the plants aren't oversaturated.
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