Beans - The Complete Guide to Growing Beans from Seed to Seed

Beans, beans, they’re good for your heart - they’ll grow with a vigor that you cannot thwart! Not our best poem, but you can’t deny the truth. Beans are easy and satisfying to grow in any garden and with the varieties of sizes, growth habits, days to harvest, and more - there is bound to be a bean that is perfect for you. 

Beans, Phaseolus vulgaris

The common bean is perhaps the ultimate seed to seed crop. It is easy to grow, easy to keep the bean variety from cross pollinating with other varieties, and easy to save and store the seed. If you don’t do anything else this year, grow, eat and save some bean seeds.

As a member of the legume family, the common bean will fix nitrogen into your soil, even as it grows edible pods and develops storable and edible seeds. As a food source, beans have much to offer. They are high in protein, a good source of carbohydrates and fiber, and  have a low glycemic index.  

The sheer varietal choice makes beans exciting in of themselves, plus there is a great Appalachian tradition of beans to explore. 

Types of Beans

With the wide variety of beans available to grow, there is one distinction in particular that you’ll want to take note of to determine which varieties are right for your garden.

Bush Beans vs. Pole Beans

Bush beans and pole beans refer to the growth habit of the varieties. Bush beans grow low and compact, making them great for container gardens and low-effort for gardeners. They tend to produce all their fruits at once making for a hefty harvest over a few days and dying back afterwards. This makes them great for succession planting as well. Pole beans, on the other hand must be trellised and produce fruit continuously throughout the growing season until these frost sensitive crops are killed back by the cold. Maybe one of these growth habits work better for you and your garden or maybe you need to grow both! You wouldn’t be the first. Once you’ve decided, what kinds of beans should you grow? 

Runner Beans

Runner beans produce what are by far the prettiest leguminous plant. With showy flowers and long vines, runner beans look great in an ornamental garden and produce beans you can eat to boot! Who doesn’t love a two in one? We love the Scarlet Runner Bean with its black and lavender mottled seed.

Greasy Beans

Greasy beans are a beloved bean of the south. They’re mostly or entirely pole beans and have smooth, shiny pods that make them look “greasy.” Gardeners love them for their rich histories and nutty flavor. If you’ve never grown them, we highly recommend it.

Cut-Short Beans

Cut-short beans are a type of greasy bean that tend to have short pods with beans that are tightly packed together, creating an almost square shape to the bean itself. They’re especially beloved by southern heirloom gardeners and can be hard to find. Our favorite cut-short bean is the Margaret’s Best.

Drying Beans

Drying beans are typically bush beans since they produce all at once and that makes harvesting and drying easier on the grower. When dried correctly, they store beautifully all winter long providing protein and nutrients in soups and stews when fresh veggies are hard to come by. 

Asparagus Beans

Also known as yard-long beans, asparagus beans are actually in the Southern Pea family. Still a legume and still nitrogen fixing, but a different species altogether. However, they’re still great for eating! They perform beautifully in hot and humid climates and their flowers attract many pollinators. They’re also just fun to grow and eat! 

Lima Bean

The kids don’t like lima beans, you say? You’re just cooking them wrong! Lima beans, or butter beans, are typically bush types, unless noted otherwise like our King of the Garden Pole lima bean. They come in different colors and sizes and make for a delightful garden crop! 

Fava Beans

Fava beans are another misleading legume - not a bean technically but very delicious and easy to grow. They’re also known as broad beans. When they’re dried and shelled - that’s when they “become” fava beans. And they’re particularly delicious and meaty - however, take note that some people can have an allergic reaction known as favism to these beans. They also grow better than other beans in cooler temperatures. 

Growing Beans

Growing beans is easy and straightforward if you can get a couple basics down. They are a frost sensitive annual but can tolerate cooler soils, so they can be planted earlier in the season than, say, sweet potato slips or watermelon seeds. Many gardeners in our growing zone (Zone 7) will risk an early planting of beans towards the end of April so they can start harvesting and, more importantly, eating fresh beans from the garden sooner. However, if they germinate before a late frost, which isn’t uncommon, they’ll be killed back and you’ll have to start over. 

Beans should be planted about an inch deep and one to three inches apart - on the wider end for pole varieties and closer for bush beans. They’ll need to be planted in a spot with full sun and will appreciate well-draining soil that is high in organic matter. Too much nitrogen will cause the beans to produce lush foliage but limited flowers and pods so be sure to plant them in a spot without raw compost on it. Rows should be planted one to two feet apart. Once your seeds germinate, seedlings can be thinned to three to five inches apart. 

If you started with high quality soil, your beans should not need any fertilizer during the growing season, however it is essential that they get enough water to produce. Beans will need one to two inches of water per week once matured. 

Bush beans are best sown in successions about two weeks apart to get a continuous harvest throughout the season. Remember that if you want dry beans, or beans for seed saving, you’ll need to leave the plant in the ground for longer than you would for a green bean harvest. Pole beans will grow and produce continuously throughout the season. We recommend picking the pole beans and eating them fresh throughout the summer - this will also encourage continuous production. If you’d like to save dried beans from your pole beans, stop picking them about six weeks before your first frost date, or longer to be safe. Weather can be really tricky to navigate when trying to dry seed on the plant so keep in mind if you’re in for a wet fall, you may need to start drying them earlier or finish drying them indoors. 

Germination Issues

Beans are really reliable germinators, typically between 70 and 80 percent. If you’re having trouble germinating your beans, this is most likely due to not watering your seeds enough. Large seeds need more water in order for the seed coat to suck in enough to burst itself, which is what allows for germination. If the issue is not rot, take care to water your bean seeds well in the morning and evening until germination. Once your seedlings germinate, their water needs drop significantly, but they’ll still need about an inch of water per week to mature.

Companion Planting with Beans

Beans happen to be a key component of the infamous companion planting triad: The Three Sisters. The Three Sisters are an indigenous planting practice where corn, beans, and squash, planted together, each support each other in growing in some way. Corn acts as a trellis for pole beans, the beans fix nitrogen for the heavy feeding corn, and the bristly leaves of the squash shade out weeds and keep larger pests from eating the corn and beans. It’s a beautiful system that really shows off what companion planting is all about. 

Some other excellent partners for companion planting with beans are nasturtiums, rosemary, sunflowers, and marigolds. Nasturtiums attract aphids, keeping them off other plants. Rosemary, with its strong scent deters all kinds of moths and slugs so you don’t lose your foliage (or crop) to pests. Sunflowers help to shade sun-stressed plants which can happen in the heat of summer and marigolds deter root-knot nematodes, specifically nematicidal marigolds. 

Common Bean Pests and Diseases 

Like most crops, beans have their fair share of pests and diseases to deal with. Thanks to their resilience and generally timely production, most issues facing beans won’t destroy your crop entirely, but there are ways to slow the destruction.

Mexican Bean Beetles

The infamous Mexican bean beetles! They defoliate plants quickly leaving behind a lacy pattern. They can also damage flowers and pods. Beans can withstand their damage for a long while but your best bet is to keep an eye out for them and remove them as you see them! It’ll start with small, yellow eggs laid in pods on the undersides of leaves. If you find these early you can squish them! Once hatched, the larvae is a squishy yellow, spiky-looking grub. They should be squished too, as soon as you see them, as this is what will defoliate your plants. The adults look like brown to orange ladybugs. While lady bugs are beneficial in our garden, they can be distinguished by their bright red color - do not worry about mixing them up for these! If infestations are heavy, apply insecticidal soap to the undersides of the leaves to manage.

Spider Mites or Aphids

Two very different pests with similar ways of management. Spider mites’ calling card is the web they leave behind on the stems or in between the leaves of your crops. These webs will have black or red spots on them - these are the mites! Aphids crowd themselves on the stems of plants, usually towards the crown. Both of these pests can be knocked up with a strong stream of water (that won’t destroy the plant). They’ll both have trouble climbing back up. If infestations are really dire, apply some neem oil to the infected areas. 

Japanese Beetles

If you’ve grown prized roses (or just about anything else) you’ve seen this invasive pest at work - munching away on beautiful, delicate petals. Well, apparently nothing is sacred because they will even go after your bean crop! Japanese beetles defoliate leaves and will even munch in your pods, leaving holes in them as they go. The worst part? Once they start munching, they release a chemical that calls all of their beetle friends to them. This also happens when they die as well, so traps will not do you any good. They’re easiest to catch early in the morning and we recommend sticking them in a bucket of soapy water. 

Powdery Mildew 

Powdery mildew is a common fungal disease that causes white, fuzzy mold to form on foliage. While most plants can live and continue to produce as this disease is spreading, letting it run rampant can mean everything in your garden will be affected. As will most fungal diseases, the best avoidance is proactivity. Ensure your beans are planted far enough apart to allow for airflow and consider watering only in the morning and avoid leaving wet leaves in the garden as temperatures cool at night. Further, if you start to notice signs of powdery mildew, especially if it’s still early to mid season, remove them from the garden and trash them rather than composting them. This will stop or slow the spread and ensure your compost doesn’t get infected as well. 

Damping Off

Damping off is not special to beans - in fact it can affect any immature plant. However, it can be quite common with beans because they tend to be directly seeded outside early in the season while temperatures are still relatively cool. Damping off is when a seedling begins to die off, typically right at soil level, and is caused by a fungus. Conditions that can exacerbate damping off include overly wet or cool conditions, anything that causes slow plant growth like low light, too much nitrogen, or soil without enough nutrients. Overcrowding your seedlings can also increase the risk of damping off. Once it occurs, it’s too late to turn it around. Luckily, beans are so speedy in their growth that if your early seeding doesn’t survive, simply plant them again in a couple more weeks! 

Saving Bean Seeds

Saving bean seeds is an excellent project for a beginner gardener and seed saver. It’s simple, straightforward, and has a very high success rate. 

If you’ve ever seen one of Sow True Seeds seed packets, you know about isolation distance. Different species have different isolation distances from a few feet to a mile or two. Beans, thankfully, have a very short isolation distance. Bean flowers are perfect and self-fertile, meaning they can pollinate themselves. While bees will visit bean flowers, cross pollination does not happen very easily. Different bean varieties only need to be separated by 10 to 20 feet to avoid cross-pollination. That means making sure your Cherokee Trail of Tears, or your Kentucky Wonder, stays true-to-type is very achievable even in a small garden. 

The seeds are ready to harvest when the pods are fully dry and brittle on the vine or bush. Usually, with bush types, this happens all at once, as that’s what these varieties are designed for. Pole beans mature at different times meaning as you’re allowing things to dry, there may be other pods maturing still green at the same time. 

It is best to allow pods and beans to fully dry on the plant. However, if heavy rains threaten a mostly dry seed set, pull the vines or pods and continue to dry under cover. Molding or rehydration of the pods can negatively affect your seed crop. 

Small amounts of pods can be hand shelled for seed saving. Make sure you label your different seed varieties. Larger quantities can be threshed (crushed to separate the pod from the seed) and then winnowed (using wind to blow the lighter pod debris or chaff from the heavier seed). At Sow True Seed we use a box fan to do our winnowing and it is very effective. 

Storing seeds requires a cool, dark and dry environment. Bean seeds can be assessed for moisture pretty easily. Place one seed on a solid surface and hit it with a hammer. If it shatters it is dry enough, if it smooshes it is not dry enough. Freezing is an effective tool to prevent bean weevils from destroying your seed crop, but even without freezing, bean seeds will store for three to six years. 

Varieties of Beans

Ready to grow some beans? Here are some of our favorite varieties at Sow True Seed. 

Maxibel Haricot Vert Snap Beans

Maxibel produces classic, slender, French green beans also known as filet beans. They’re delicious and abundant with stringless six to seven inch beans grown on bush-habit plants. Traditionally, they’re prepared sauteed with butter or olive oil, garlic, and a touch of lemon. Fancy them up with some fresh herbs or sliced almonds. These are truly delectable beans. 

Provider Snap Beans

They’re called Provider for a reason. These early producing, high-yielding beans are delicious and disease resistant. They truly live up to their name. This bush bean produces uniform, five to six inch long pods that are round and meaty. They’re a favorite for canning and freezing by gardeners and market growers alike. 

Yard Long Red Seeded Asparagus Beans 

While they’re not actually a yard long, they can get to be about two feet! These beans are particularly popular in Southeast Asia and produce slender pods on prolific vines. They thrive in heat and humidity and are resistant to many pests and diseases. Typically they’re chopped up into soups or stir-fries, but at their full size they’ll do great on the grill! 

Scarlet Emperor Runner Beans

The runner bean is a great vegetable crop as well as a stunning ornamental - who doesn’t love a two in one?! These vining plants produce decorative scarlet flowers as well as tasty, meaty beans. The seeds dry to a gorgeous lavender and black mottled pattern and are savory and meaty to boot! 

Lazy Wife Greasy Beans

Greasy beans are called such for the sheen on the pod that makes them appear “greasy.” And while that may sound unappealing to some, you’re missing out on some very delicious beans that are especially loved in Southern Appalachian kitchens. The Lazy Wife got its’ name because gardeners (who were traditionally the women of the family) could wait longer to harvest from these plants and get more food per harvest as these beans are just that big and stay delicious as they grow. This is a great snap bean or shelling bean. 

Black Turtle Drying Beans

Classic frijoles negroes - these beans are a traditional staple in many Latin American diets. Their meaty texture and deep flavor make them a favorite in vegetarian or meat dishes and they serve as a healthy source of lean protein. This bush habit drying bean will make for great dishes all winter long.

Whipple Drying Beans

These gorgeous purpley seeds with white spots is an old family heirloom from Oregon’s Willamette Valley in the mid-19th century. It has an excellent cooking flavor and grow on vigorous bush-habit plants. 

Shantyboat Butterbeans

These prolific, colorful beans are as tasty as they are beautiful! This pole variety will need trellising but is well worth the effort. It gets its name from the fact that it was grown near river banks by people living on shanty boats during the Great Depression. 

Henderson Bush Lima Beans

It’s no surprise this heirloom has been around for so long! The Henderson Bush is a reliable producer of buttery, white lima beans that grow on bush-habit plants with a long harvest window. Beloved and delicious!

Aquadulce Fava Beans 

A bean you can grow in winter? Believe it or not, fava beans love a long, cool season and will produce loads of 12 to 16 inch long pods filled with richly flavored beans with a wonderful, chewy texture. They do great when planted in fall and overwintered for a spring harvest in warmer climates. In northern climates they can be direct seeded first thing in spring and harvested in late spring.  

Ready to start growing? Check out Sow True Seed’s wide and curated collection of bean seeds for every grower.

	Article Written by: Hannah Gibbons
	About the Author: Hannah Gibbons, an employee at Sow True Seed since 2020, has nearly a decade of experience in the agricultural industry. Their passion for environmental education and regenerative agriculture has been the cornerstone of their work, aimed at making gardening accessible to all.