Planting Beans

Planting Beans

To the average home gardener the wordbean implies only two types, the kidney, snapor string bean and the lima bean, both of whichbelong to the genus Phaseolus and are native to the Americas. There are, however, a largenumber of other types, many of which arenative to the Old World and include broad beans,soybeans, and Southern Pea Bean, Velvet Bean,Mung Bean and Tepary Bean, to list a few.Beans, as a group, constitute crop plants thatare worldwide in culture to provide food forman and animals, to improve soils, for orna-ment and in some instances, e.g., soybeans, forindustrial uses.

Snap or String (Phaseolus vulgaris) arecultivated more generally than any other cropof the bean tribe both for its edible pod and itsdried seed. It is a very important home-gardencrop in all sections of the U.S. Commerciallylarge acreages are grown for the fresh market,for canning and freezing, and for dry beans.

Varieties

Bean varieties are listed under hundreds ofnames, many of which are synonymous and areof little importance. Beans may be classifiedaccording to (0 use, (a) snap beans for theedible pod, (b) green shell, for the still greenimmature seed, and (c) dry shell or ripe seed;

(2)color of pod as green or yellow wax; and

(3)habit of growth, namely dwarfs or bush andclimbing or pole. The following varieties arerecommended for home garden planting:

Green-podded bush—`Tendercrop', 'Tender-green', 'Contender', and 'Harvester'. As greenshell—`Dwarf Horticultural', 'Low's Champion'and 'French Horticultural'.

Wax-podded bush—Pencil Pod', 'Cherokee'and 'Brittle Wax'.

Pole or climbing varieties:Green-podded----`Kentucky Wonder' types,`Blue Lake'.

Wax-podded--'Kentucky Wonder Wax'.

Soils and Fertilizers

Beans will grow satisfactorily in most alltypes of soil but do best in well-drained, warm,sandy loam and loam soils. Growth of the plantis slow and stunted in soils that are either tooacid or alkaline and thus a soil pH of 5.5-6.5 isbest. Thorough soil preparation is important.

Beans will respond to a normal applicationof well-rotted animal manure or compost ifavailable, 20-30 bu. per t000 sq. ft. If manureis used, supplement with a broadcast applicationof 15-20 lbs. of a 5-to-to fertilizer per moo sq.ft. If no manure is used, increase the fertilizeramount by to lbs.

Planting

Beans are tender to frost and usually areplanted after that danger has passed. The seed germinates slowly in soils of a temperature of60° F. and if lower they may rot. Cold, wetsoils result in poor stands. In the North 2-3 ormore plantings are made to provide a continu-ous harvest. In the far South additional plant-ings are possible.

Bush varieties are planted in drills 1-2 in.deep and 24-30 in. apart. The plants shouldstand about 2-3 in. apart in the row. Pole beansare planted in hills, 4-5 seeds per hill, andspaced at 24-36 in. between hills. For mostvarieties the poles should be at least 6 ft. long,ti ft. in the ground and 4-I ft. or more aboveground. Various types of trellises can alsobe used satisfactorily. Eight or ten hills areadequate for the average family.

Cultivation

Frequent shallow cultivation should be prac-ticed basically to control weeds and to preventa caking of the soil surface. Commercialgrowers have used the chemical Premerge orSinox as a selective herbicide. Again it is notadvisable for the home gardener to use thesechemicals because they can cause severe damageif not used properly.

Harvesting

Kidney or snap beans are hand picked beforethe pods are full grown and while the seeds arevery small. Harvesting of green-shell sorts isdelayed until the seeds have reached full sizebut are still soft and succulent.

Lima beans (Phaseolus limensis). The limabean is very tender and, therefore, sensitive tofrost and cold or wet soils.

Varieties

There are two types kiseeds small and thin coathaving large, thick-coatsbush and climbing habitdwarf sorts recommended(large seeded) and `HeadePole varieties are 'King ofgreen', 'Carolina'Speckled'.

Outdoor planting, soil ;tion and general culturekidney beans. Lima beans1than kidney beans and, ththemselves to the sameplantings. Most pole varidays to maturity.

The pods are hand picksdeveloped to their full size,begin to turn yellow. Twousually possible from a phi

Insects

Mexican bean bee::e, aspotted ladybird-type bedorange to yellow and fuzzleaves and pods. Larvae aunderside of leaf. Centreintervals and up to 4-5 ckwith rotenone 1%, dust omethoxychlor 5%. Importsof leaves and apply in eplants are damp with desgreen, very small insectwhen disturbed. Both aattack leaves causing a cucondition. Control—dustwith malathion 4% or medas for bean beetle. The belong, yellowish with 6 blackleaves. Control—same asbeetle. Aphids or plant lieby nicotine dusts or sprays dust.

Varieties

There are two types known as baby limas,seeds small and thin coated, and potato typeshaving large, thick-coated seeds. Both are ofbush and climbing habit of growth. Bush ordwarf sorts recommended are `Fordhook 242'(large seeded) and `Henderson' (small seeded).Pole varieties are 'King of the Garden', `Thoro-green', `Serve', 'Carolina' and 'Florida ButterSpeckled'.

Outdoor planting, soil preparation, fertiliza-tion and general culture is the same as forkidney beans. Lima beans take longer to maturethan kidney beans and, therefore, do not lendthemselves to the same number of successionplantings. Most pole varieties require 90-100days to maturity.

The pods are hand picked after the seeds havedeveloped to their full size, but before the podsbegin to turn yellow. Two to three pickings areusually possible from a planting.

Insects

Mexican bean beetle, a copper-colored, 16-spotted ladybird-type beetle. The larvae areorange to yellow and fuzzy. Both feed on theleaves and pods. Larvae are found largely onunderside of leaf. Control—dust at 7-8-dayintervals and up to 4-5 days prior to harvestwith rotenone I% dust or malathion 4% ormethoxychlor 5%. Important to cover undersideof leaves and apply in early morning whenplants are damp with dew. Leaf hoppers aregreen, very small insects that fly quicklywhen disturbed. Both adults and nymphsattack leaves causing a curling and yellowingcondition. Control—dust underside of leaveswith malathion 4% or methoxychlor 5%, sameas for bean beetle. The bean leaf beetle, I in.long, yellowish with 6 black dots, feeds on beanleaves. Control—same as for Mexican beanbeetle. Aphids or plant lice can be controlledby nicotine dusts or sprays or by malathion 5%dust. Bean weevils in dry bean seeds can becontrolled with carbon disulphide. Other insectsof lesser importance are spider mites, wire-worms, Japanese beetles and seed corn maggot.

Diseases

Anthracnose, a fungus, attacks the stems,leaves and pods causing elongated, sunken,dark red cankers. The disease is carried fromyear to year with the seed and the only controlis in using western-grown seed; also, do notcultivate or work with the beans when the plants are wet. Bacterial blight appears on the leavesas brown blotches surrounded by a reddish-yellow halo. Control is the same as for anthrac-nose. Mosaics are caused by several types ofvirus. The affected plants are stunted and havecrumpled and yellow-molted leaves. Controllies in controlling aphids which carry thedisease and using resistant varieties such as`Contender', `Toperop', 'Kentucky Wonder' or`Blue Lake'. Rust shows up as red to blackpustules on the leaves, causing leaves to dry upand fall off. Carried over from year to year inplant refuse. Burning old bean plants, usingvarieties which show some resistance, anddusting the plants with sulphur or Maneb arepossible controls. In the case of pole beans, treatthe poles with formaldehyde—I pt. to 5 pts. ofwater. Downy mildew on lima beans shows upas a downy white growth. Dust with copper-lime or use maneb as directed on the container.

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