Planting green beans/peas

[Hdan]

Haven't planted green beans or peas before.
Soon will be time to plant  green beans/peas in zone 7a. When temps become 50° its time to plant.
I will be planting in a 4×8 raised bed, thinking half green beans, half peas. I have read plant in rows 24-36" apart. Not sure why.
I'm not driving a tractor in my raised bed. Maybe it needs that much space to grow.
The other thing is I read don't fertilize before planting. Wait until the first set true leaves appear then fertilize with low nitrogen and shouldn't need any further fertilizer.
On another site read fertilize every 2-3 weeks until harvest.
It's really hard to find anything out.
I should find my answer here.

 

[Meadowlark]

When temps become 50° its time to plant.

Umm... you might want to double check that. Green beans germinate great at 60 deg soil and down to 55 deg but you will be hard pressed to get any below that and they may be stunted.

Peas are fine even below 50 deg soil but not green beans.

As to fertilizer, it all depends on what nutrients your soil has currently. People that recommend fertilizer, especially artificials, without any knowledge of the soil they are recommending for...well let's just say that has a high probability of being problematic.

I always start a bed/row of beans/peas with "No N,P,K required" soil status and don't add anything...but it all depends on your soil's nutrient composition.

 

[Hdan]

I understant what you're saying when you say depends on your nutrient composition. I have to get mine checked now.
Will be doing it this week.
I've heard you mention before you start with no NPK. I think you're meaning not adding anything unless it needs it because you have already established your base line for the crop you're before planting.

 

[Hdan]

I understant what you're saying when you say depends on your nutrient composition. I have to get mine checked now.
Will be doing it this week.
I've heard you mention before you start with no NPK. I think you're meaning not adding anything unless it needs it because you have already established your base line for the crop you're before planting.

I understant what you're saying when you say depends on your nutrient composition. I have to get mine checked now.
Will be doing it this week.
I've heard you mention before you start with no NPK. I think you're meaning not adding anything unless it needs it because you have already established your base line for the crop you're before planting.

I double checked the temp. for planting green beans, it is 60 °.
I was just guessing cause didn't remember.
You have any input on positioning of seeds in 4x8 raised bed.
I believe the row seed spacing should be about 1-2" but how about row width. If I have to have 24" between rows I can only have 2 rows

 

[Meadowlark]

I've heard you mention before you start with no NPK. ...

No, it means no NPK required, i.e. the soil nutrients are at a level the soil test results say "No NPK required" at planting.

 

[Meadowlark]

I double checked the temp. for planting green beans, it is 60 °.
I was just guessing cause didn't remember.
You have any input on positioning of seeds in 4x8 raised bed.
I believe the row seed spacing should be about 1-2" but how about row width. If I have to have 24" between rows I can only have 2 rows

I assume we are talking about bush beans? You might want to consider pole beans as they go vertical and save you space.

For bush beans, I would plant at 2 inches and thin to 4 inches as needed. On the rows, I think I would try row 1 at +6 inches (they can spread over the side rail, then row 2 at +18 inches over from row 1, and row 3 another +18 inches over from row 2 (and 6 inches from the side rail). Let 'em hang over the rails...a little crowded maybe but I would try it and see.

You might want to check out square foot gardening.

 

[Hdan]

I assume we are talking about bush beans? You might want to consider pole beans as they go vertical and save you space.

For bush beans, I would plant at 2 inches and thin to 4 inches as needed. On the rows, I think I would try row 1 at +6 inches (they can spread over the side rail, then row 2 at +18 inches over from row 1, and row 3 another +18 inches over from row 2 (and 6 inches from the side rail). Let 'em hang over the rails...a little crowded maybe but I would try it and see.

You might want to check out square foot gardening.

I was thinking would get better harvest from bush beans. I may consider pole beans have to check to see the height on them. Also was thinking about planting half the bed in peas. That might would be pole peas also. I haven't grown either one yet.

 

[Hdan]

I was thinking would get better harvest from bush beans. I may consider pole beans have to check to see the height on them. Also was thinking about planting half the bed in peas. That might would be pole peas also. I haven't grown either one yet.

I already have already purched bush beans. I heard you get a lot of beans from bush beans but like you said, takes up less space with pole beans.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

In my experience beans need those temps. to germinate, but when they are going they are fine at lower temps.
I germinate indoors in cardboard tubes, like the middle of toilet rolls or wrapping paper ones cut up, stood on end in a margarine tub and filled with earth. When there are two or three leaves well established you can lift the tube and find the roots growing out through it. I plant out the whole thing. I agree with Meadowlark about pole beans, also they still get attacked by slugs and birds, but far less

 

[Hdan]

I already have already purched bush beans. I heard you get a lot of beans from bush beans but like you said, takes up less space with pole beans.

In my experience beans need those temps. to germinate, but when they are going they are fine at lower temps.
I germinate indoors in cardboard tubes, like the middle of toilet rolls or wrapping paper ones cut up, stood on end in a margarine tub and filled with earth. When there are two or three leaves well established you can lift the tube and find the roots growing out through it. I plant out the whole thing. I agree with Meadowlark about pole beans, also they still get attacked by slugs and birds, but far less

Ok looks like bush beans & pole beans get attacked by birds & slugs but far less on pole beans.
Is there any type of controll on this or its just natural with very little controll.

Im thinking a bird net would keep birds off, but not sure about slugs.

 

[redback]

Slugs can be controlled with fairly harmless pellets. There is also a thin copper tape you can put around mid-height of your raised bed walls. Birds are not a problem with beans/peas because the green pods are well disguised, and purple is not a color that attracts them.
You will need irrigation although you can water overhead. Beans need a thick mulch. Peas will grow through a pea straw mulch so you can loosely mulch them when planting.
You could probably put the beans on the perimeter and the pea trellis down the center.

 

[redback]

photo#1. my most advanced beans planted about 2'0" apart and just beginning to flower. It's summer here in the southern hemisphere. These have been planted amongst a diverse collection of plants - Amaranthus, sunflowers, basil, thyme, parsley, tomatoes and more. Remember that beans and peas are every plants' companion. If you lose some of your peas and beans plant other things amongst them.
photo#2. making a liar of myself this is a monoculture of dwarf beans planted about 18" apart. You see they will join and overlap before they have finished.
I will photograph the polyculture bed as soon as the sun and my camera cooperate.

 

[YumYum]

The other thing is I read don't fertilize before planting. Wait until the first set true leaves appear then fertilize with low nitrogen and shouldn't need any further fertilizer.
On another site read fertilize every 2-3 weeks until harvest.

Beans are supposed to make their own nitrogen but if it is in the soil they will use it so it helps. I'd suggest fertilizing.

They say to fertilize every 2-3 weeks, but with what and how much. You're missing vital info there. Everyone grows and fertilizes a bit different so that is one persons way of doing it. I'll agree you can do that but you don't know how much and with what.

also they still get attacked by slugs and birds, but far less

I've never had my pole beans attacked by slugs or birds. You must have a different bird over there. I have found bird nests with eggs in them though. Grasshoppers and rust like to eat on mine.

 

[redback]

Left photo shows a chard and carrot crop interplanted with a number of unrelated plants. If you look at the chard leaves nothing has eaten them despite their age and size. Variety gives you fertility and a thriving habitat for the good insects.
Right photo refers to fertilizing when the first real leaves appear. I have added an inch of homemade compost to the ground around new corn and beans.

 

[Ruderunner]

For reference, I've had pole beans reach 20 feet or more of vine length. For a raised bed, I'd definitely go bush.

Note, bush tend to produce all at once, pole produce continually and usually much more.

Peas need to climb as well.