bean inoculants

[Doelman]

I've always had good luck with beans and peas without using an inoculant, but should I start using some in the future? Are they fixing any nitrogen at all into the soil without it?

 

[marlingardener]

Doelman, I used innoculants for several years, and then when I changed seed suppliers the innoculant wasn't offered. I haven't used it for past nine years, and can't tell the difference between use/non-use in the size and health of the plants, nor in the yield.
If you use composted chicken manure your soil will have higher nitrogen. Peas fix nitrogen into the soil. I don't know about beans, but I think they may not.

 

[headfullofbees]

The amount of nitrogen fixed into the soil from legumes is negligible, as they tend to use the overwhelming majority of it themselves.