Green Beans: Planting And Growing Pole And Bush Beans

Ready to grow a veggie that’s as fun to plant as it is tasty to eat? Green beans are the garden superstar everyone loves, whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned grower. From compact bush beans perfect for small spaces to towering pole beans that climb sky-high, these snap-happy veggies deliver fresh flavor straight from your garden to your plate. Let’s dig in and get your green bean patch thriving!

About Green Beans

All green beans (also called “string beans” or “snap beans”) are tender annuals. Though most green beans are indeed green, they also come in purple, red, yellow, and streaked varieties.

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What’s the Difference Between Bush Beans and Pole Beans?

The main difference between the many types of green beans is whether their growing style is classified as “bush” or “pole.”

• Bush beans grow compactly (reaching about 2 feet tall) and do not require extra support from a structure like a trellis.
• Pole beans, aka climbing beans, grow as climbing vines that may reach 10 to 15 feet tall and require a trellis or staking. Watch this video to learn how to support beans properly.

There are pros and cons to both types, of course:

• Bush beans generally require less maintenance due to their size, but pole beans typically yield more beans for longer and are mostly disease-resistant.
• Bush beans produce in veggies about 50 to 55 days; pole beans will take 55 to 65 days.
• Bush beans often come in all at once, so stagger your plantings every 2 weeks to get a continuous harvest. Pole beans need their vines to grow and will produce for a month or two if you keep harvesting.