Beans are a staple in home gardens, thanks in part to their bountiful harvests and ease of care. They are a great source of vitamins A, C, and K, and other nutrients found in beans are found to have very strong anti-inflammatory effects. There are a wide variety of beans available for home growers. Pole-type beans require a trellis or cage to grow “up” and hold the plant, while bush-type beans will support their own weight as they grow.

Are you going to plant beans in your garden? According to our research, we don’t recommend planting pole beans, chives, fennel, garlic, leek, onion, shallots, and sunflowers near beans in the garden.

Growing beans can be very simple in a well-drained garden bed that receives full sun. The one thing that any type of bean needs to grow is warmth. It’s recommended to wait until the last frost has passed, then plant each plant in row with 8 inches in between. To really boost your garden’s bean production, plant a second ground of beans about a month later. During growing season, beans only need to receive fertilizer once or twice during early stages. As the bean plant grows, it will produce its own nitrogen in the soil, which acts as a natural fertilizer.

Beans can be harvested early on as the pods are still developing (baby peas, etc.), or later in the growth cycle when the pods have fully matured. When harvesting beans, be sure to use 2 hands; one to hold the stalk, and one to pull the bean pod off. Beanstalks are often supporting a lot of weight, and additional strain can cause the stalk to snap.