Bush beansdo they need support?

I just planted some bush bean seeds in my raised beds. Will they need any support? I will gladly do it if there is a possibility that they will sprawl, as I have other things planted nearby.

They will sprawl some but not much. They shouldn’t get over 1 to 1 ½ feet tall and maybe a foot wide.
LK

Thank you. Now the issue will be whether they sprout at all. They're very old seeds, but I didn't want to buy new ones this year, as I'm on a limited budget (and hate to waste).

Although bush beans do not need support, I have found they are easier to pick if they are raised between two pea fences. I didn't plant bush beans this year, instead I opted for Soy Beans and they are growing between two parallel pea fences.

I agree. I find that bush beans loaded with fruit will sometimes fall over from the weight. A fence of some kind keeps them out of the mud.

How long will bush beans put on beans .. I have already pick a mess that were good size and ready to eat.is it a one time thing ?
But now im not seeing any new flowers or beans...
Thanks

It’s mainly a onetime thing. We harvest the first mess for canning and then give the stragglers a few more days to get up to size. After that you may get a few but we usually pull them up and try to get a second mess in before the heat shuts everything down.
LK

What is a Pea Fence? I planted some beans, and just thought I would put sticks up on either side of the rows with some in the middle, and run some hay twine thru them to give them somewhere to grow on...

Miss Jestr - that's just what I do, and it works fine.

A lot of bush beans will set a second or even a third time, but the best yield is always from the first.

Mine were doing well without support and were about 12" or so tall. However, some did get mowed over in the 40+ mph winds we had last week. The ones that survived are now tied up to a support.

thanks, LK & LT

Hummm so you dont really have to support your beans?? I am growing some Ky Green Beans, Some purple beans, and some cowbeans...

Bush beans no. Pole beans yes … they have to have a fence or trellis of some sort for them to run on because they vine.
LK

Oh sorry for the stupid questions, I did not know there was a difference between bush beans and pole beans... (going to go hide in the corner and learn some more)

A brief explanation on bean plant lengths: http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/2434/

Ok here is another question...

Does it state on the seed packet if they are bush or pole? I am at work right now and cant look... How will I know if I have bush or pole beans?

There aren’t any stupid questions …. Asking questions is how you learn.

Yes, the package will tell you. Something like Blue Lake Bush Beans.
LK


This message was edited Jun 18, 2009 12:48 PM

Cool I will look when I get home... Thanks Lizards_keep

Bush beans are also called snap beans, fyi. If you see that older terminology, you'll know you've got the bush variety. IIRC, Kentucky Wonder and Blue Lake varieties come in both bush and pole. We've got KY Wonder pole and Blue Lake bush beans growing.

OK get ready to laugh... Remeber this is my first year ever planting a garden...

When I was getting seeds, I picked up Kentucky wonder, California black eye pea and some purple been seeds...
Then I planted all 3 kinds next to corn so they could grow up the stalks... (Or so I thought)
After reading this link, yesterday I went home and found out I planted 2 bush and one pole...

Here is the funny part. IN my anger with the rabbits, when I re seeded for the third time, I did not remember what went were, just put them in rows together, figering they would grow up the corns...

SO it will be like christmas when the beans start coming up.....

Next year, I will do some better planning on my garden...

Another bean question - what are runner beans? I've always assumed they were pole beans, but some catalogs list them as a separate group. Do they need support? How tall do they grow?

kitchenshop - there's a thread here about scarlett runner beans. Maybe has some helpful info for you . . .

Kelly

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/957635/

MissJestr - here's a link to the pea fences I purchase from Burpee:

http://www.burpee.com/p2p/searchResults.do?method=view&search=basic&keyword=pea+fence&sortby=newArrivals&page=1

Thanks Honeybee... I was pouring over that site just like I would a tack catalog....