Pole Beans vs Bush Beans – Do You Know the Difference?

Green beans are a popular vegetable garden plant, second only to tomatoes in popularity. However, before you decide to grow them, it’s important to understand the differences between pole beans vs. bush beans.

There are many varieties of green beans, but all can be categorized into one of two ways: bush beans or pole beans. These two categories refer to the way in which the beans grow.

Although both types of beans share many similarities, they have distinct differences in growth habits, harvest time, and care requirements. Understanding these differences can help gardeners choose the best type of bean for their needs.

Let’s explore these differences so that you can choose the right variety for your garden.

Growth habits of bush beans vs pole beans

This is an easy difference to understand. Bush beans are compact in form, and pole beans reach a much taller height. Let’s explore this a bit further.

Bush bean height

As the name suggests, this type of bean grows into a compact bush shape as opposed to vertically like pole beans. This makes bush beans easier to manage.

Bush beans typically reach a height of about 1 to 2 feet (30 to 60 centimeters) and do not require any support. 

This compact growth habit makes them ideal for small gardens, containers, and areas where space is limited. They can provide a dense coverage in a raised garden bed that helps to suppress weeds and retain soil moisture.

When they are not grown in small spaces, but instead in large gardens, they are often planted in double rows. Even though external support is not needed for bush beans, planting in two rows gives them light support, which can be useful when they bear fruit.

Pole bean height

In contrast, pole beans are climbing plants that require external support to grow. They can reach heights of 6 to 12 feet (1.8 to 3.6 meters) or even taller.

A good choice for pole bean support is a structure like a garden obelisk or a trellis. Pole beans will also climb single poles easily.

When pole beans climb, the tendrils take hold of the pole and wind around it.

This produces a tall, lush plant that will soon be covered in beans, as compared to bush beans that grow close to the ground.

This vertical growth habit allows pole beans to maximize space efficiently, making them suitable for small garden plots where ground space is limited.

The climbing nature of pole beans is perfect for gardeners who are not only looking to save space but also looking to add vertical interest to their gardens.

You can make an easy DIY pole bean tepee (pictured below) in just minutes. The kids will love hanging out in the tepee space and enjoying a healthy snack of fresh beans!

Pole beans vs bush beans yield

Both bush beans and pole beans are a great choice for beginning and advanced gardeners. How soon you want to harvest your beans will determine which variety you choose to plant.

How long do bush beans produce?

Bush beans tend to mature faster than pole beans. Most varieties will be ready for harvest about 50 to 60 days after planting. If your goal is to enjoy fresh beans in recipes early in the season, then bush beans are a great choice. 

Much like determinate tomatoes, bush beans give you a large harvest over a relatively short period of time – usually about 3-4 weeks. This makes them a good choice for gardeners who like canning and freezing since you will get a large harvest all at once.

After the initial harvest, bush beans may produce fewer beans, making them less suitable for continuous harvesting throughout the growing season.

If you want to extend your bush bean growing season, you can plant multiple crops of bush beans, spaced a few weeks apart. This technique, called succession planting, will give you a supply of bush beans throughout the summer.

How long do pole beans produce?

Pole beans, on the other hand, take longer to mature than bush beans. They are usually ready for harvest 60 to 90 days after planting. 

Once they start producing, they will continue to produce pole beans throughout the growing season, often until the first frost. This prolonged production is beneficial for gardeners who prefer a steady supply of beans over a longer period, as opposed to bush beans which are ready all at once.

Additionally, because pole beans grow vertically, they often produce higher yields per square foot when compared to bush beans. With pole beans, there is no need for successive plantings, since a single planting of pole bean seeds can provide beans all season long.

Bush vs pole bean maintenance and care

Pole beans and bush beans are both relatively easy to care for. However, the differences in their maintenance might cause you to pick one variety over the other.

Bush beans care

Because of their compact size, regular watering and occasional weeding are typically all that is required to keep bush beans healthy and productive.

This ease of care for bush beans makes them a great option for beginning gardeners or those with limited time for garden maintenance. However, they are more likely to suffer from diseases related to damp soil since their foliage is closer to the ground than pole beans.

Pole beans care

Pole beans require more initial effort to set up support structures, but they offer several advantages that bush beans don’t. The vertical growth habit of pole beans improves air circulation around the plants, which can reduce the risk of fungal diseases.

Harvesting the crop is also easier, since beans grow at a more accessible height, reducing the need for bending or kneeling. One disadvantage of pole beans is that gardeners need to regularly train the vines to climb their supports, which requires some ongoing attention.

Choosing between bush beans and pole beans ultimately depends on a gardener’s specific needs, available space, and desired harvest timeline.

The choice is yours!

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Why not grow some delicious green beans for your family this year? Whether you choose to grow pole beans or bush beans, the shopping list below will be great to download and take when you go shopping for seeds.

Admin note: This post first appeared on the blog in September 2012. I have included many more photos, a more detailed overview of the difference between pole and bush beans, a printable shopping list, and a video for you to enjoy.

Yield: 1 shopping list

Printable - Shopping List for Pole Beans vs Bush Beans

Print

Green beans come in two types - bush beans and pole beans. This shopping list will help you choose the variety that is best for your garden.

Print it out and keep it in your garden journal and take it when you go seed shopping.

Active Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Difficulty easy

Estimated Cost $1

Materials

• Heavy card stock or printer paper

Tools

• Computer printer

Instructions

1. Load your printer with heavy card stock or printer paper.
2. Choose a portrait layout.
3. Using this print function on this card will print a shopping list that fills about 3/4 of an 8 x 11 inch sheet of paper.
4. If possible choose "fit to page" in your settings.
5. Take the shopping list with you the next time you go plant shopping for green bean seeds.

Notes

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Scarlet Runner Pole Bean Seeds - 1 Lb ~335 Seeds - Non-GMO, Heirloom
• 
  Tendergreen Bush Bean Seeds for Planting, 50+ Heirloom Seeds Per Packet
• 
  Burpee Blue Lake 274 Bush Bean Seeds 2 ounces of seed

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