Many people worldwide love green beans and use them for many delicacies. They not only offer a great taste to meals but are said to boost vision and lower the risk of heart disease. They are also packed with Vitamins C, K, and A, which are excellent in building bones, boosting vision, and acting as potent antioxidants.
It is no surprise that many wish to grow them where they can be easily accessible. However, some constantly worry about a lack of space to grow them; the good news is that it is easy to grow green beans productively in a pot. This article highlights the steps needed to grow green beans in a pot, even when you have so little space to play around with.
How to Grow Green Beans in a Pot
Beans grow well in confined spaces, so they are bound to do well in a pot. Use the steps outlined below to grow your green beans in a pot:
Step One: Choose the Right Time
Timing is critical when planting green beans, as planting them in the wrong season could affect their growth and your harvest. The best time to plant your green beans is at the beginning of the growing season, preferably early spring.
Step Two: Choose the Right pot
Choose a six to nine inches deep pot since green beans have shallow roots and different varieties. If you have larger pots, growing more than one bean plant with a space of about 3 inches between them is possible.
Bush beans need a little more space (about six inches between plants) to do well, while pole beans need about four. Choose a heavy, wide pot less likely to blow over since some of these beans can grow tall.
Look out for more than just the size of the pot but also good drainage. Although green beans like moist or damp soil, they do not like over-saturated dirt very much, so make sure your pot has at least three drainage holes.
Step Three: Prepare your Soil
Although green beans can grow in low-nutrient conditions compared to other plants, planting them in quality, the fresh potting mix will give you a much better yield.
A healthy soil with a preferable pH of 6.0 or 7.0 is perfect for green bean growth. Some potting soil mix has a perfect pH for green beans, but you can mix an equal part of compost, loam, and builder’s sand. You can also try peat moss or perlite.
Step Four: Choose the Perfect Location
Expose your plant to a good amount of sunlight so it can grow well. Ensure that your green bean plant gets at least eight hours of sunlight daily. If your location isn’t this sunny, you can opt for a variety of pole beans that is shade tolerant or use a grow light.
Your beans need warmth to germinate, so place your pots against south-facing walls to help increase the soil temperature as the plant germinates. You can use a soil thermometer to check the temperature of the soil. Push the tip down into the soil and make sure the soil is 70 degrees Fahrenheit before planting. As the plants mature, move them to a slightly cooler but sunny spot to avoid wilting.
Step Five: Planting your Seeds
Beans require warm soil to germinate and are less tolerant of cold weather and frost. If you experience short summers, bring your pots inside to sow your seeds. Allow the soil to warm up before planting. Once that is done and the first chill is over, you can move your pot outside. Or you could wait until the outside temperature is above 60 degrees.
Fill your pot with the potting mix 3 inches from the top. Then apply your fertilizer over the soil in your pot before planting. Make a hole one inch below soil level and drop your seeds. You could, alternatively, scatter your seeds on the surface of the soil and push them one inch below soil level. Afterward, cover the seeds with your potting mix.
Some varieties, like the bush variety, can grow to about two feet high and very fast, making them great for pot planting. If you are planting the runner varieties, you should provide some support once they start germinating, such as placing a pole or a trellis inside your pot while filling it up with your potting soil.
Step Six: Watering and Feeding your Plant
Push your finger into the top two inches of the soil to check for dryness. You can over-water your green beans if you have a good drainage pot, and consistent watering helps maximize yield. If your plant gets too dry, mainly once it develops flowers, it will drop leaves. So make sure to keep them moist.
Usually, beans can fix their own nitrogen, and too much of it will reduce pod production. So go for a monthly application of fertilizer with lower nitrogen concentration.
Check on the progress of your green beans and support them to climb where needed, although they typically climb well on their own.
How to Care for Your Green Beans
Some pests and diseases are notorious for attacking green beans. Bean leaf beetles and aphids cause damage to plant leaves and lead to stunted growth, which could affect pod production. Wash any tiny yellow bugs or black and yellow beetles on your plant with soap to kill off the pest.
Bean rusts often appear as white or yellow spots on the leaves growing into brown pustules with yellow rings. As soon as you notice this, cut off the affected leaves. A good way of combating this is by giving your plant enough room and space will make it difficult to be infected with bean rust.
Another disease that could affect your plant is the bean’s common mosaic virus, which can stunt the growth of your beans. This virus could already be in your seeds or transmitted through pests. You must buy your seeds from a reputable vendor and pitch your plant away from other foliage for best control.
Water the soil regularly, perhaps a few times a week, so that the soil can stay moist and germinate properly. But be careful not to overwater them as this can cause root rot.
Remove weeds at the base of your container to discourage bacteria and mold, which can choke out your bean plants; space out your plant to give it a healthy room.
Green bean plants are usually ready for harvesting after 50-90 days; check out for plump pods that are long and tender, then cut them from the plant without pulling, as this could damage your plant.
Growing green beans is beneficial for many reasons. It gives your meal a delicious flavor and offers so many nutrients. Fortunately, you can grow green beans in a pot with limited space. By practicing the steps mentioned in the article, you can have the best yield possible.