Bush Beans or Pole Beans – Which One Should You Grow?
Beans, Green Beans, French Beans, Bush Beans, Pole Beans, Wax Beans, String Beans, Snap Beans
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.
Guide Information
| Genus | Phaseolus |
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Pole Beans
Pole beans are beans that grow as tall twining climbers.
- Grow up to 10-15 feet tall (300-450 cm). Pole beans are large plants that can shade out other beds, limiting the crops you can grow. They are great for larger gardens.
- Require support. Since pole beans grow tall, they require trellis, tepees, or bamboo supports. Corn is a good companion plant since it provides support for the bean plants to climb up.
- Have a longer production time. Pole beans are ready to harvest within 60-70 days of planting, depending on the variety.
- Yield more beans over a longer period. Unlike bush beans which produce their beans all at once, pole beans need their vines to grow and will produce for a month or two with regular harvesting.
- Require more maintenance. Pole beans require pinching out when they reach the top of their supports.
- Are mostly disease-resistant. Pole beans are not as susceptible to diseases and viruses as bush beans. Pole bean plants dry off fast after rain because they grow straight up where the air can dry them.
- Popular pole bean varieties include Seychelle, Blue Lake, Romano Italian, Kentucky Blue, and Kentucky Wonder Wax.
Beans are great for heavy nitrogen users. They add nutrients and improve the soil, benefitting the plants that are growing beside them.
However, Mexican bean beetles can reduce the production of beans if allowed to multiply. Their damage is reduced spectacularly when beans are interplanted with other vegetables and herbs.
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