A staple in many vegetable gardens, beans are nutritious and healthy legumes that are easy to grow and contribute to flavorful recipes.

As an added bonus, beans fix nitrogen and add nutrients that improve the soil, benefitting the plants that are growing beside them.

These members of the pea family, along with peas, peanuts, and lentils, are classified by growth habit into two major groups: bush beans (dwarf) and pole beans (climbing).

Bush Beans

Bush beans are beans that grow on a compact, bushy plant.

• Grow up to two 2-3 feet tall (60-90 cm). Since bush beans are compact and do not require much space, they can be planted in smaller gardens.
• Do not require support. Bush bean plants do not require support from a structure such as a trellis to thrive.
• Have a shorter production time. Bush beans are usually ready to harvest within 50-60 days of planting, depending on the variety.
• Yield fewer beans over a shorter period. Bush beans produce fewer bean pods all at once. To get a continuous supply of bush beans, plant them every two weeks during the growing season.
• Require less maintenance as a result of their smaller size.
• Are more disease-prone. Since bush beans grow in bushy rows, they retain moisture and humidity around them. They may be affected by powdery mildew, anthracnose, mosaic virus, and white mold.
• Popular bush bean varieties include Derby, Roma II, Maxibel, Royal Burgundy, Dragon Tongue, Bush Kentucky Wonder, Provider, Tendercrop, Blue Lake, Goldcrop Wax, and Improved Golden Wax.