Skip to Content

Growing Green beans – Planting and Care Guide for Snap Beans

If you are looking for an easy-to-grow vegetable, ranking second in popularity after tomatoes, try growing green beans.

Green beans are also called French beans, string beans, and snap beans. They come in two types – bush beans and pole beans.

Snap beans are a great vegetable for beginning gardeners. Even kids can get involved. They love to watch the seeds grow!

These growing tips will guide you through everything you need to know to cultivate a healthy and productive green bean crop.

Hands holding beans in a garden with words Tips for Growing Green beans ~when to plant ~sunlight and soil needs ~planting seeds ~harvesting tips, and more!

Tips for growing green beans

Green beans can yield a bountiful crop with the proper care and attention. Before you know it, you’ll be enjoying fresh, delicious green beans from your garden.

Whether you prefer the convenience of bush beans or the extended harvest of pole beans, green beans are a versatile addition to any home garden.

Beans in flower with a bean pod, bean teepee and beans growing in rows in a collage with words Growing Green Beans.

When to plant bean seeds

Green beans are warm-season crops that are sensitive to frost. Plant them after the last frost date in your area when the soil temperature has reached at least 60°F (16°C).

In most regions, this means late spring to early summer. Bush beans can be planted a little earlier than pole beans, which are slightly more susceptible to frost.

Sunlight and soil needs for bean plants

Choose a sunny spot where the bean plant will get 6-8 hours of sunlight. Be sure that the soil drains well. 

Green beans prefer slightly acidic to neutral soil with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0.

Practice good crop rotation. This means you should avoid planting in areas of your garden where beans or other legumes have been grown in the past few years to reduce the risk of soil-borne diseases.

Before planting bean seeds, prepare the soil by adding compost or well-rotted manure to improve fertility and drainage.

Beans are nitrogen-fixers. This means they can enrich the soil with nitrogen. Even so, they still benefit from a well-balanced soil.

Growing green bean from seeds

Deciding whether to grow bush beans or pole beans depends on a few factors. Bush beans are compact in size and have a shorter time to harvest.

Pole beans need some form of support for the vines and have a longer growing season. The choice is yours!

I like to choose heirloom seeds which will allow me to save some seeds for the next year.

Bean seeds like to be planted directly in the spot where they will grow if possible. Plant the seeds 1 inch deep and thin the seedlings to 4-6 inches when they have their first true leaves. Keep them watered until they germinate.

Mother and son planting bean seeds in a garden.

Beans are a good crop to plant when gardening with kids. The seeds are quite large and the kids will be able to plant them easily.

They will germinate in about 7 days and you’ll have a good-sized plant in just a few more weeks.  Bean seedling, small bean plant and beans in a garden.

Green bean flowers

Both bush beans and pole beans will flower right before they start to produce beans. Bean flower and beans on a plant in a collage.

How many seeds should I plant?

To decide how much to plant, plan on 10-15 bush bean plants or 3-5 hills of pole bean plants per person in your family to give an ample harvest.

Succession planting gives a longer harvest

Bush beans have a short growing time to harvest, so it is a good idea to plant a second set of bush bean seeds about 3-4 weeks after the first planting.

You’ll have another harvest a few weeks after the first crop! This will give you a steady harvest of beans all summer long.

Once you have harvested the first batch of beans, you can pull out the old bean plants, and add them to the compost pile, to create nutrient-rich soil for the next season.

Harvesting green beans

Green beans are typically ready to harvest 50-60 days after planting for bush beans and 60-70 days for pole beans. Pick beans when the pods are firm, crisp, and about 4-6 inches long.

Beans should be picked before they develop seeds inside the pods for the best flavor and texture.

The trick to getting a great bean harvest is to pick the beans regularly. This encourages the plant to produce more beans.

Check your plants every few days and pick beans frequently.

Wire basket with wooden handle full of green beans sitting on the ground near some bean plants.

Beans are dependable and easy to grow. They are the perfect choice for everyone from beginning gardeners to seasoned pros. 

Green beans or yellow beans?

Snap beans come in different colors. Green and yellow beans are most commonly grown, however purple, red-yellow, and mottled beans are also popular.Green, purple and yellow bush beans on a wooden counter.

Fun fact: There is a reason that yellow snap beans are more expensive than green snap beans. The yellow snap beans grow more slowly and produce fewer beans!

I planted some yellow and green snap beans at the same time last year. 

The photo below shows my harvest from both plants. See how few yellow snap beans there are compared to green snap beans?

Yellow and green beans on a white countertop.

Share this post about growing snap beans on Twitter

If you enjoyed learning how to grow green beans, why not share these tips with a friend? Here is a tweet to get you started:

Learn how to grow green beans like a pro! 🌱 From planting to harvest, our guide covers everything you need for a bountiful crop. #GardeningTips #GreenBeans #HomeGarden #GrowYourOwnFood Share on X

Pin this post for growing green beans

Would you like a reminder of these green bean-growing tips? Just pin this image to one of your gardening boards on Pinterest so that you can easily find it later.

You can also watch our video on YouTube.

Beans hanging from a plant with words Growing green beans ~when to plant ~types of beans ~planting seeds ~sun and soil needs ~harvesting tips.

Yield: A plentiful harvest

Tips for Growing Green Beans

Tips for Growing Green Beans

Green beans are second in popularity only to tomatoes with home gardeners.

They are easy to grow and will give you a bountiful harvest in no time at all!

Print out these tips for growing green beans and keep them in your garden journal.

Active Time 1 month 29 days 14 hours
Total Time 1 month 29 days 14 hours
Difficulty easy
Estimated Cost $1

Materials

  • Seeds for either bush beans or pole beans
  • Compost or organic matter

Tools

  • Garden gloves
  • Hose or watering can

Instructions

  1. Plant seeds after the danger of frost has passed.
  2. Add organic matter or compost to the soil and mix well.
  3. Plant seeds 1 inch deep.
  4. Water well and keep watered as the plants grow.
  5. Plant bush beans in double rows.
  6. Give pole beans a trellis or support to climb on.
  7. Plants require 6-8 hours of sunlight a day.
  8. Harvest the beans every few days 55-70 days after planting, depending on your seed.
  9. To have beans all season long, plant additional seeds every 3-4 weeks after the first planting.

Notes

You can also print this handy bean-growing printable. green beans growing

Share on Social Media

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a small commission from the sale, but the price is the same for you. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Skip to Instructions