Grow Perfect Beans Every Time

[@larrystarnes1801]

I am growing beans from seeds my mother froze from Dad's crop of 1991. She passed away @103years of age and we found these seeds in her freezer labeled 'Old Timey Green Beans you can't buy in the store anymore. I991" They are currently flourishing in my garden!

[@MarkHayes-vg6eu]

Hope you have a wonderful harvest Best wishes from Ireland 🇮🇪

[@GrowVeg]

That is absolutely wonderful Larry. What a legacy!

[@marishavilla]

Fantastic

[@B3RG3RS0N]

Wow I'm surprised they are still viable

[@minivandreamin1789]

Oh wow! Be sure to seed save from your current crop!

[@TheWendable]

I REALLY love this man for his genuine enthusiasm and explaining every process in great detail. As a newby to veg & herbs it can be overwhelming so thank you for simplifying it and keeping a smile on your face as you do it, very inspirational 🤗

[@GrowVeg]

Thanks Wendy! :-)

[@ghostwalkerairsofttech1947]

I planted only 8 bean plants last year and got 3 gallon sized bags chock full from them...my friends were thankful that we had so many and we gave them away to them..this yield was gained by picking often.

[@GrowVeg]

Good first-hand evidence of the need to pick!

[@sherriianiro747]

I had a praying mantis in my pole beans that ate the aphid infestation I had. I almost picked him because I thought he was a bean! That little guy also took out the gypsy moths on my broccoli too! I grow organically anyway but what I learned from this is how nature takes care of everything and it's part of the overall ecosystem. He was a happy camper and so was I!😊

[@GrowVeg]

I do hope your channel gains the views and you gain strength. :-)

[@GrowVeg]

Hi @Sherri Ianiro, that praying mantis sounds like an awesome gardening allie!

[@sherriianiro747]

@@GrowVeg Thanks! I hope he shows up again this year!

[@rachelmariatsiganos3524]

That is one of the cutest things ever!!

[@QueenBee-qd7vx]

I was going to get some preying mantises for my garden, but upon researching, I found, they eat hummingbirds... I don't want that to happen... is it a regular thing, or a very rare thing? Anyone who knows, would love to hear from you!

[@haikufarm]

If you've never allowed runner beans to fully mature and then harvest them as dry soup beans, I recommend it! They don't stay pretty during the cooking process, sadly, they turn a brownish-grey color, but the taste is amazing and, of course, dried beans will store well for a long time. Last night we made soup from the last of our stored butternut squashes and a cup of dried beans: it was a delicious gift from our 2022 garden.

[@cindywoodall2937]

Good advice! I do this every year with runner beans and make an absolutely delicious stew with them.

[@magencramer7359]

Do you still water the vines while the beans are drying or stop watering at some point?

[@dianeladico1769]

@@magencramer7359 I keep mine watered until the pods are getting leathery. They're also maturing and filling out as they're drying. Where I am they go all season so I maintain them until the leaves start to yellow in the fall.

[@haikufarm]

I water until the pods start to turn brown...and then ideally would let them dry. Sometimes the weather has other plans! I live in the maritime Pacific Northwest and we can get heavy rains at any time of year. Rather than let everything get moldy, I sometimes pull out the vines and hang them in the barn...or pull the pods and shell them before they've gotten totally dry and then put the shelled beans on drying racks. It's more work, but sometimes necessary here.

[@dereklonewolf9011]

Yes my wife n I clean & bag/ freeze our beans which we consume all winter. They are a good compliment to my harvested grouse & whitetail deer 🍁73+ Manitoba hunter Yorkshire expat

[@marekmantaj9942]

Initially I wanted to just plant few cherry tomatoes as a side project and came here for advice about germination. Here I am a month after I started watching your channel with potatoes and lettuces already in my garden and some beans, broccolis and a zuchini waiting for the right time to transplant. And I've set up a bokashi compost and vermi compost as well to support that garden later on. Thank you for all the work you do on this channel, you've helped me find a new hobby and a surprisingly strong stress relief. My little garden with 3 raised beds is now my happy place :D.

[@TheWendable]

You’re exactly where I want to be. I’ve just tasted my first fresh pea shoot 😮I'm old and no one has ever talked about doing this… 🤔 I think his videos are inspiring us all to try new veg/herbs. Good luck Marek 🤗

[@marekmantaj9942]

@Jane Smith when they are home grown you stop caring about the size and how the veggies look, you know they are healthy and will taste delicious

[@marekmantaj9942]

@@TheWendable Old is just a state of mind. I know some teens who are old. If you are following your passions and dreams then you are young!

[@GrowVeg]

Thanks so much for your kind words guys. Growing your own is so empowering and satisfying!

[@superiorbean7932]

I have got to say this is probably one of the most helpful videos I’ve seen recently gardening wise. I never actually really knew how to grow beans until this video, I’m definitely going to take into account so many of his tips and tricks to hopefully yield Ana amazing crop this year. Thank you for the tips

[@GrowVeg]

Great stuff! Glad you found the video useful.

[@k.p.1139]

I am so pleased with my garden, so far. I have picked pole bean 2 times, green beans 2 times, and today, I picked maybe 2 pounds of wax beans. Next weekend, it's tater digging day. I'm not used to having a producing garden..I'm blessed! SO blessed. Thanks, Ben!

[@GrowVeg]

What a great result! :-)

[@k.p.1139]

@@GrowVeg Well, Ben. As you were typing your reply, I was watching my garden getting pelted and ripped apart by a hail storm, like I have not seen in Florida. It has happened before, I had never experienced it, until now. We are converting to a L'Nino from a La Nina..For those of us in the south US, that means we are going from dry and hot, to wet and hopefully cooler. But, in all of our preps, composting, and fertilizing, we often overlook the weather patterns. It's late in the season for me to start over with tomatoes. I can replant the beans etc. But, I think with all that we have available to us now, we might need to consider, if there is one more step that we can take, to protect our garden. Just some thoughts for me, today.

[@juliekraft4102]

I acquired a 8×10 galvanized chain link dog pen that I use to grow out pole beans and there is plenty of room in there for some squash as well. That leaves us with extra room for other things in the garden.🤗

[@GrowVeg]

What a great way to grow them!

[@Itsgettingcrazy.]

Great idea! I have a dog pen I could do this with as well. I wonder if rabbits can get through the chain link fence and eat the beans?

[@juliekraft4102]

@@Itsgettingcrazy. I did not have a issue at all last season .🤗

[@robertmoore1215]

A cautionary tale of beer: Due to the high rainfall of West Virginia, coupled with dense clay soil, slugs are a problem most of the year. Once upon a time I tried using beer in tin pans around the cabbages and beans. What I failed to understand at the time was that it would attract others who otherwise wouldn't make nuisance of themselves. Specifically, the stray feline population was, unbeknownst to me, a huge fan of Oktoberfest. I got an evil eye from the neighbors for a month after tom cats from 10 blocks away had their drunken brawls in a 500 yard radius surrounding my home keeping the neighbors up in the witching hours of night. Once the deer got wind of it, they ran off the cats and trampled the garden seeking out that lovely brew for themselves. They even snubbed the corn I planted for them to keep them out of the garden. Thankfully their body weight prevented them from a drunken state, but their demands for more beer pawing at the ground every night for a few weeks decided that only Brussel sprouts along the fence & container plants on the porch would survive that year. As they say in our hollers, "Welp, how'd that work out fer ya?". Not too good! Should folks find themselves in similar habitat, I found success with early application of Epsom salts sprinkled around the perimeter of the garden, pruning low branches at earliest opportunity, mulch around base of stalks, and daily inspection of the garden to manually pick them off. The detriment of salt washed away with frequent rains, and the potassium just got tilled into the compost at the end of the season. I imagine somewhere out there, folks who are trying to keep deer off their roses and tulip bulbs have finally found a "trap crop" to distract them.

[@GrowVeg]

Great advice there Robert. Who would have thought the cats would have a drinking habit!

[@andreahorsch286]

Cracking up at this in southeast Ohio

[@WoWLatinLearners]

Southern Missouri here where my woods are populated with barn cats (some of them, mine) and deer. I can't decide if this comment is satire or if I should avoid beer traps should the slugs arrive (so far, just tiny garden snails in low number).. 🤔

[@BrendaPowell-bw1it]

😊😊😅

[@Alyss93]

I got the kids at our library to plant pole beans in mid-March to get them excited about our Seed Library and gardening in general, and let them choose whether they wanted to take them home or leave them at the library. Just over a month later, and the ones sitting in our library's windows have done surprisingly well and have started to flower! They really are remarkably resilient things, and so fantastically nutritious. Great video as always :)

[@RealBradMiller]

A seed library?!? I love that idea!

[@haikufarm]

I'm doing the same thing at our library--today we planted flowers for pollinators. We will plant beans next month, it's still too cold here. But I was able to distributed bean seeds from our Seed Library as well as sunflower seeds. The kids (and parents) were thrilled!

[@Alyss93]

@@RealBradMiller It's definitely become more popular here in Canada, and the US too. The best ones provide heirloom seeds only, and give instruction on how to save the seed. They "return" some of the seed they collect for the following year's library! We've only got a small one going at our library right now, but it piques the curiosity of our patrons and shares the joy of growing your own veg!

[@GrowVeg]

What a lovely thing to get the kids to do - I bet they loved it. :-)

[@lucybarnard3954]

I am a new gardener and am growing mange tout and French beans this year, if I get them to germinate ok. I have some plug plants as a backup incase I can’t manage it all myself. It’s a big learning curve for me but whatever the results I enjoy the process and am already learning a lot from my mistakes 😊

[@GrowVeg]

That's the main thing - enjoy it all Lucy. :-)

[@jaytoney3007]

My plans for today are sowing seeds for Rattlesnake pole beans, and Oriental Yard Long Beans. I have them growing up an arched trellis made of cattle pannel. I am also sowing seeds for Thumbelina Zinnias, Shasta Dasies, and Marigolds. Two days ago, I harvested ten pound of Swiss Chard, yesterday, 7 pounds of mustard, and a lot of radishes. The core leaves were left on the Swiss Chard. They will put out new leaves for another harvest. The mustard was cut two inches above the root base. They will put out new leaves soon.

[@GrowVeg]

That's a lot of chard and mustard - fantastic!

[@The_GlassCannon]

I'm sorry this isn't relevant to the video but your garden planning app is clutch, thank you so much for hosting it, super helpful!

[@saundrad007]

I love it too!

[@GrowVeg]

Thanks so much! :-)

[@hmmm..2733]

Thank you for another great video. I learned the following technique from a man from Mexico that I think is worth sharing: He hung jute twine on a nail down the fence to the bean plant and the beans grew right up them. At the end of the season, I just cut the twine to remove the entire plant when it was finished. So easy, and very inexpensive!!

[@GrowVeg]

What a great method. :-)

[@andybonneau9209]

I prefer bush beans since they all come in at the same time which facilitates canning and preservation. Great video, thanks.

[@andreahorsch286]

Me, too. I plant a few every 3 weeks or so. Bush beans are tidy. Pole beans turn into a huge monster in our ohio summers

[@jackieo8693]

Thanks for another great video! Slugs are my nemesis

[@tulipsmoran5197]

My standby beans are Seychelles stringless fillet pole bean, Maxibel bush stringless filet and the new improved Blue Lake 274 bush bean. Great tips! I envy you with your bees - I've attempted for two summers to raise bees. I set up four hives facing the southeast at the edge of the forest that abuts my property. I then bought four jumbo pkgs of Italian honey bees. They built thier hives in the nest boxes and were prolific and happy. Unfortunately my rural neighbors do not understand the role honey bees and other pollinating insects play in our crops and gardens. The elderly fellow across the road sprays copious amounts of Sevin on everything and anything that flowers on his 2 acre property. The father in law of my abutting neighbor got the bright idea to spray for ticks and mosquitos "to protect the grandchildren". Problem is he sprayed middle of the day when the clover was in full bloom. I lost three complete hives - collapse from the toxic pesticides and the fourth terribly weakened which did not survive the winter. I went around and spoke to these folks letting them know how their insecticides are killing bees and shared my 3 hive collapses. I then ordered 4 more pkgs of Italian honey bees early spring the next year - same thing. I've abandoned attempting to raise bees. In the meantime, pollination here is sketchy to say the least with the stupidity and calloused attitudes of some of these folks. Just one of the many problems when urban folks relocate to rural areas.

[@GrowVeg]

I'm so sorry - what a shame. It's crazy how some people just seem to 'nuke' everything to keep things clean and tidy (and sterile!). I do hope you manage to raise bees one day.

[@julieseee]

Hi, just to say I am an avid watcher of your shows. I am very interested in companion planting, of which I’ve learned a bit, but would love if you were able to do a programme on pests and their hosts. For example the ladybird eats the aphids, and there is some sort of parasitic wasps you can get, which get the ones that munch your food. I have grubs in my garden, but unsure as to what might be a beneficial or harmful grub, so at the moment, they all get put out for the birds. Being able to identify these pests as well as what other insect will get them, as well as which flowers attract the good bugs in ( in greater detail of course as you already provide pretty good info for n this anyway) The other thing is Bees, can you actually create a place they would prefer in a garden to build their hive?.. hope you can help, but unsure whether it would be sidetracking from your focus on producing good strong plants

[@GrowVeg]

Thanks for the suggestion Julie. We often revisit this area. You may find some of these past videos helpful: kzbin.info/aero/PL3VEy0_tuFgQvFsnD3e-bxDKN-PtBgSg4

[@CapitalRoach]

Very timely video! I planted some broad beans outside last week and some runner beans in seedling pots on my windowsill, looking forward to seeing how they do!

[@Teapot-Dave]

I have always grown traditional heirloom beans like Czar and Scarlet Emperor, but feel disappointed sometimes - when even at a fairly young stage - they can become a bit stringy and fibrous. So this year in a total break from tradition, I am growing some "Polestar" runner beans which are reported to be stringless. I start my beans in a seed-sprouting jar in my kitchen, so any that fail to sprout or go mushy go straight in the bin. Fortunately that didn't happen with these beans, and they all sprouted. They are now in pots of compost on a sunny window sill and a few of them are now poking their heads out of the soil. I always start my beans like this, and plant them out when they are too big for the slugs to bother with - usually about six to eight inches.

[@GrowVeg]

What a great idea for starting them off - smart move.

[@dianemuller88]

Moles are a real problem. Any ideas? Loved this video. Thanks. Cape Town. S. A.

[@GrowVeg]

You can get mole deterrents. More on this here: www.rhs.org.uk/biodiversity/moles

[@valoriegriego5212]

Howdy Ben! 👋 Thanks for the knowledge...I'm always learning something new from you.😃 I like to compost in place in my containers. It's good to know beans appreciate it and that I can't over water them. 😃 This year, I'm growing Scarlett Runner beans, Asparagus beans, and Purple Pink Eyed Cowpeas. Your garden design is so nice!👍

[@GrowVeg]

Lovely mix Valorie! Lots to be picking this summer. :-)

[@minternet1]

Thank you! 🥰 That beeer trap..... my slugs must be attending AA meetings because no beer traps works in my garden 😎

[@GrowVeg]

They usually love beer!

[@jeanetteschulthe1andOnly]

I love wax beans...they are so good when you grow them yourself.

[@jeningle8288]

Thankyou for this video. I'm usually successful with runners, but always interesting to see what you do. I'm growing Lady Di and Firestorm runners this year with a purple French climbing bean, Braunhilde. Waiting for this cold snap to finish here in Cumbria before I plant out.

[@bserm13158]

Snap Peas, Snow Peas, Pole Beans, Lima Beans My trellis is only 4 ft hign. Next year I will go to a 7 ft trellis

[@GrowVeg]

Great job. A lovely mix of beans there. 😀

[@kristin143]

I love beans, bush and d long kind..I grow em every year, I start later than May cuz they grow quick and long ...

[@somphorn-lane]

I grow green beans ❤

[@davidbriggs8836]

David Briggs I am growing runner beans, french climbing bean and Greek Gigantes

[@VivianfFurlow]

Rattlesnake pole beans, Oriental Yard Long Beans and red noodle beans. South central Texas

[@mariedeyo7399]

Very good video Ben . I am trying black and red beans in windowboxes. And 7 kinds of pole beans, some are spekled and some are purple, one is trail of tears, some are old german or swiss beans. All can be eaten green or dry. I think thats better if they can be used both ways. I will sow in big pots as always next week. So happy bean growing y'all 🙂🌻

[@normski4ash]

Sewn my runners in the greenhouse 3 days ago, living between Manchester and Liverpool, I've left it late to be safe. Grew them for the first time last year, growing twice as many this year. Keep up the good work you are doing... Oh love the arches by the way, have to keep my eyes open for something like that.

[@GrowVeg]

Thanks Norman. I think it always pays to play it safe - no harm in that.

[@mariais4451]

Had I found you earlier, I would have a queens garden by now. Hope it's not too late for me. Thank you! ❤

[@GrowVeg]

Haha, thanks Maria!

[@j.bassler4430]

Your garden is beautiful! Thanks for all the tips. You make all of us feel confident to build our own gardens!

[@GrowVeg]

That's really great to hear. Happy gardening!

[@SonniesGardenPA]

I love bush beans but I'm going to try pole beans again. Thanks for the good info.

[@madeleinehayes4100]

We are trying Dragon Tongue bush beans this year and Seychelles pole beans. Will be another three weeks before our temperature is warm enough to get them started! Great hint about growing beans that will stand out in color from the leaves! Lots of luck to you for a wonderful garden this year Ben!

[@GrowVeg]

Thanks Madeleine - and for your garden too.

[@elizabethlane8690]

Dragon Tongue bush beans are my absolute fave! Easy to find and delicious. I also like purple pole beans for the same reasons.

[@nikkistump3480]

I’m growing Kentucky wonder runner beans 🫘

[@SmallholdingUK]

I’ve turned an old polytunnel frame into a climbing bean arch, I can’t wait to get it planted up I love beans ! Growing for dried beans and green this year

[@GrowVeg]

You'll have loads of beans! Superb!

[@UpthePottingShed]

I fell in love with growing french beans last year after a number of failed attempts with runner beans. I particularly loved a purple variety called cosse violet. It went green when cooked and just grew and grew until the weather change. This year I'm growing Vosse, Faraday, Cobra and a few other dwarf varieties. Also having another go at runner beans.

[@GrowVeg]

Lovely mix of beans there. :-)

[@peace4peaceful]

Beans..driving me mad..lol. Its going between 16c and 34c here. Sun up 5.30 am sun down 6.30pm. Direct sown they pop up get to 4 inches high and burn up. The ones that make it never get flush with leaves. I use compost, cow manure, LAB and other amendments like weed tea and worm castings. I thought i under watered but the ground is damp. Im thinking its too hot maybe too much Sun. I might try a few around the passionfruit vines..lol.

[@GrowVeg]

The heat could be the reason, especially if the sun is very strong. It could be worth offering them a little shade till they're a bit more established?

[@mompuff]

Thank you for your great advise!! What can I plant under the arches where will be shaded!! God Bless you!! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@GrowVeg]

Hi there. You could try anything that would appreciate a cooler, shadier position. So salad leaves of any sort would be ideal, or perhaps chard or kale.

[@dianemuller88]

More videos please.

[@NannaCarlstedt2]

Hi Ben and thank´s for sharing your experiences. Last year, -22, I had a lot of beautiful flowering Runner beans; the experiment was to ferment them for as long as to Mar-Apr -23, i e to The Hungry Gap -23. The experiment was successful; I´ve already had some trials with beans (1-2/5 max.) together with brown rice (3-4/5 min). Beware, the fermented beans gets a really strong taste. Start with sieving them thoroughly. If you need to add water later on in the process, use fresh water. (The tap water has of course to be filtered to remove lime, chlorine and heavy metals...) The fermented beans do not have your favorite taste, but it´s ok when diluted with a proportionally significantly larger amount of brown rice. Tastes good with natural soy sauce, appr. three tablespoons per portion.

[@GrowVeg]

Great recommendation, thanks for sharing your results. :-)

[@cuznclive2236]

You continue to state "peat-free." Why? The use of peat here in southern VT is much environmentally-better than using coir. Sure, making compost is the goal, but not all of us are Charles Dowding or you with full bins and availability. Edit: Appreciated as always; you provide great information. No ill will.

[@GrowVeg]

I guess it's a decision to make according to your situation and perspective on things. There are environmental benefits to avoiding peat: peatfreegardeningusa.org The potting soil I get doesn't seem to have coir in it - it's made from composted materials that are bagged up. So there are peat and coir-free alternatives. Of course, not everyone can make nearly enough compost for their gardening needs (me included!). I'll continue to advise against peat use because, especially in Europe, it's extraction really does have a devastating impact on precious wildlife, and degraded peat bogs will no longer effectively absorb carbon. Thanks for watching. :-)

[@dengueberries]

I'm growing two types of runner beans on each side of my balcony, the foliage acts as a bit of wind protection (thought they don't like it). @GrowVeg: How long does the foliage last for, where you live? October-November?

[@GrowVeg]

Yes, I would say October would be about right, though sometimes it can get a bit dog-eared and yellowed by late September.

[@utopiai-long-for6519]

Hi Ben, great video as always, love learning from you. I didn’t know about nipping out the top shoots at full height. I previously just wound them back down the other side of the canes 😊. But I will be trying your way this year. I have yellow beans, Runners, Borlotti, French climbers, Broad beans & purple beans. Love your arches… who’s your supplier? I can’t see a link to them.

[@GrowVeg]

Great mix of beans there! The arches are from Agrs: www.agrs.co.uk/products/elegance-round-arch

[@igawori7331]

Got tomatoes (roma, cherry and slicing), purple and green broccoli, Fennel, dill, cayenne, shishito, jalapeno and ghost peppers, bell peppers, radishes, carrots, rocket, lettuce, parsley, basil, organo, garlic, spring onions, lavender, ruby red, honey gold, and russet potatoes, sweet corn. Nastutium, zinnia, alysuum, feverfew, marigold, mint, rosemary. Snap and purple peas, blue lake beans... to name a few! Oh and my peach tree has fruit growing as well! Umm, strawberries, blueberries, and blackberris. Just waiting to see what the plum and apple tree do.

[@GrowVeg]

Such a superb abundance of good things!

[@janenewley1014]

I grow crops on canes sequentially fromSpring through to Autumn…start with mange tout peas which are more tolerant of cooler weather…then climbing “French” Asturias beans (triply useful…as green beans, podded beans and beans for drying), then Runner beans…and also Greek Gigantes beans (butter beans) for drying. I start all the seeds off in root trainers to avoid slug damage. If you,re careful root trainers last many years. Most utube gardeners like yourself plant just a couple of plants by each cane…I plant 5 or 6 at each cane…bigger crops and an insurance policy against snails😀. Jinxy

[@GrowVeg]

Interesting to be planting so many by each cane Jane - clearly this works for you. :-)

[@MarigoldsintheGarden]

Hi from Qld, Australia 😀🌴🍂🍁🍁Your channel is so good; thank you. It is full of such useful information to help gardeners, and great tips!

[@GrowVeg]

Thanks for tuning in! :-)

[@christinadeckard2722]

Green beans will grow indoors too. Doing an experiment to see if it can be done. Planted mid February its April 21have 1/4 to 1/2 inch beans and many blooms. I'm guessing about 2 weeks from fresh beans, but how big will they get?

[@GrowVeg]

Interesting. I would think the light levels indoors would make getting much of a harvest tricky - but I hope you prove otherwise! :-)

[@kurtleininger2159]

Sorry about the spell check. Bean plants.

[@SEFullmetalJake]

What do you use for “Potting mix” when you start seeds off? I had been using John Inns #1 as recommended by a chilli company, but I feel it’s a bit heavy and compacts too much. Plus overall it has too many stones which isn’t great for starting seeds in. I’d love to know what you actually use, multi purpose compost?

[@GrowVeg]

Yes, I just use multipurpose compost, which I sieve if necessary for smaller seeds and to remove the woodier bits (these can be used in the bottom of larger pots). I rarely use seed compost.

[@JoDusepo]

A question you might be able to help with: How do I stop dastardly squirrels from digging up all my plants? I have put slate down on top of the pots, but sometimes that still doesn't stop them.

[@GrowVeg]

I'ver never had this problem. I imagine it's because they are digging up hidden nuts to keep them going till there is more natural food to eat later in spring. Their digging should hopefully ease up. More on living with slugs here: www.rhs.org.uk/biodiversity/grey-squirrels

[@selecttravelvacations7472]

Growing Kentucky Wonder & Purple Kew here. The seedlings look beautiful. Thanks for the review! What was that white blooming tree behind you towards the end? Gorgeous!

[@GrowVeg]

Great stuff! The tree is a magnolia - it's really stunning!

[@only-vans]

I'm growing dwarf purple French beans, a bush variety again this year. mainly to keep my grandkids interested. The purple colour disappears in the pan , they are then green as normal when cooked. easy to pick because of the colour. Anything longer than 6 inches goes into the compost bins, they seem to lose flavour and become stringy at that length. ...Only one plant per square foot 🙂 ...

[@GrowVeg]

Great to keep the grandkids involved. :-)

[@roelven1282]

this year Bushbeans (like last year) and 2 types of polebeans) Funny... that you mentioned marigolds, zinnia and cosmos.... alll three i have a ton (i really mean ALOT) off sowed inside...and are now in my tomato greenhouse ... but now i have a big problem ...lol ... im pulling out my headhair because i do not where to place them all (lol its getting overcrowded)

[@GrowVeg]

I know that feeling! :-)

[@jenniferbell2410]

This year I'm growing a pole bean called Turkey Craw and will be using them for an Appalachian culinary tradition, Leather Britches beans. A delicious dish that my grandma used to make.

[@GrowVeg]

Sounds intriguing!

[@marymcandrew7667]

I'd love to hear how you make that dish, I love learning new dishes with beans.

[@jenniferbell2410]

@@marymcandrew7667 here's a good video of how to make them, they do take time to make but they are so delicious and worth the effort. kzbin.info/www/bejne/foaaaJV6Zchghbs

[@tracycrider7778]

@@marymcandrew7667same ❤

[@Mashpookaloo]

Thanks for all the great info! I had Mexican bean beetles mid summer last year. They look like yellow ladybugs. I popped them off into a bucket of soap water, but it was a daily task. Ugh. Any tips?

[@GrowVeg]

Row covers can help, and scraping them off, but it's a long game. More in this guide on them: www.growveg.com/pests/us-and-canada/mexican-bean-beetle/

[@annettetorres9099]

I’m growing Painted Lady beans and Kentucky Blue Lake pole beans. I live in the Central Valley in California and it already getting very hot here. Today it is going to be 98 degrees! My biggest problem is the heat. Especially when it starts up so early in the season.

[@GrowVeg]

Oh wow, that is very hot already!

[@khadijahmuquith7448]

I need help with my beans, when I plant them in the pot it goes mouldy I guess and fluff started growing 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫 what am I doing wrong?

[@GoldenBoy-et6of]

That should only be a problem indoors! Beans are best planted in ground outside! A green house that doesnt have constant air exchangs from high power fans, will always be to humid and stale and cause mold also!

[@gregorymathers7742]

I like Asian Long pole beans. Even "stringless" beans like Kentucky Wonder have strings. Asian long pole beans really have no strings. I take a handful and chop them to the size I want, put them in a bag and place the bag in the freezer.

[@GrowVeg]

Great tip there Gregory, thank you.

[@alysonjones8562]

Hi Ben, I’ve just started growing veg and have been enjoying your videos. I wondered if you have any videos for complete novices, I still don’t know why some plants are started in pots and some straight in the ground and what is pricking out. I feel silly for asking these questions , I don’t have a lot of space at home or a greenhouse. I’ve just managed to get an allotment though. Thanks for any help

[@GrowVeg]

Hi Alyson. In almost all cases you can just sow directly into the ground. The reason I start so much off in pots/module trays is that it helps me get a head start or to overlap crops. But you can sow most things direct to make it easier (and then remove excess seedlings to leave plants at the proper spacing - as on the seed packet instructions). To get started you may like to browse this playlist: kzbin.info/aero/PL3VEy0_tuFgSYSKZ-lmiByt9jY5fgfSS1

[@gardeningwithtash2485]

I am growing red swan beans, purple beans and wax beans.

[@zodrickzheioh7318]

So, I know it may not be relevant, and that you probably have a video up about it from a while back. But in a lot of your video's you briefly talk about keeping your veg after you harvest. But would you think about doing a detailed video on keeping the different types of vegies afterwards? Like what conditions you want to keep your potatoes in, and what you should watch for to make sure they're staying good? as well as potentially like freezing other veggies and such? Just an Idea as it's something that seems very interesting to me.

[@GrowVeg]

Thanks for the suggestion. We may do a video on this at some point, good idea. In the meantime, here's a video we did on freezing veggies: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jp69dKuOgKaWec0

[@InspirationSessions]

I had the most amazing beginners' luck the first year I grew runner beans - I knew nothing and followed none of the rules but the resulting crop was fantastic. These last two years I've tried again with more gardening experience but my broad beans and runners have been totally decimated by aphids. Too sad.

[@GrowVeg]

That is frustrating Tom. Keep at it though.

[@marishavilla]

I am growing Yellow Wax and Jacob's Cattle Beans these two are new for me. As well I am also growing Chinese Long, Pole and Bush Beans these are my usual yearly plants.

[@GrowVeg]

Great mix of beans there! :-)

[@colb1416]

Great video Ben. Thankyou. Do you compost the plant after use or dig it in? I'm trying no dig so my idea is to spread the leaves out and cover with my spent potato compost from my buckets. Have you tried any of these methods?

[@GrowVeg]

You could potentially do that as the plant will be killed off by the frost anyhow. It will then rot in situ. I tend to cut the beans off at the base, leaving the roots in the soil to rot down and bunging all the foliage onto the compost heap.

[@jennl7099]

I love your videos! Very helpful! I was just wondering what zone are you in? I’m in Toronto, Canada , zone 5. Also, do you have a heater in your greenhouse?

[@GrowVeg]

Hi Jenn. I'm in zone 8. I never heat my greenhouse - just move things inside if it's really cold and there's frost-sensitive seedlings to be protected.

[@WickedWaco]

Im a big fan of the channel. Im trying to grow mungo and bush beans as a first time bean grower. Lol just 5 plants of each. So I dont risk growing too much ( i have a weak spot when it comes to growing stuff in the garden😂).

[@GrowVeg]

Well done on being so restrained - that takes strength! :-)

[@TheValers101]

This is a brilliant channel. Very encouraging. Can't help but notice that you put in kitchen compost where the beans are going to go in a trench, then you sewed beans in a pyramid? But still You motivate me and it's a pleasure to watch and learn from you.

[@GrowVeg]

Thanks so much. The bean trench concept can be applied to pyramids of beans also - just add your kitchen waste where the beans will be planted. :-)

[@nininoona]

With my beans, I have found that my biggest pest is rabbits. I have had to cage all my beds to keep the little buggers out. They will mow down a row of beans in a heartbeat. Im growing bush green beans, as well as Kentucky wonder pole beans and Chinese noodle beans.

[@GrowVeg]

Well done on coming up with a solution to keep them out. :-)

[@AJMG-cn3tu]

I'm growing runner beans, 3 types of dwarf French bean and 3 types of climbing French bean this year. A bit over the top but are using up old seed stock so growing in the conservatory in pots, in the greenhouse bed, in my two pumpkin patches and in pots outside. I garden in Scotland and 'hedge a bet' with fine spring weather and put a few bean seeds in the soil in early may, cover them with old deep clear chicken breast trays covered in wire to stop the mice and squirrels getting them and then fleece, as soon as they pop up I remove the chicken breast tray and cover with a clear stacking box to stop the slugs. If it's dry I water them, if frosts are light they survive and I get a few plants as an earlier crop. A bit of a faff covering them but it works. I grow them with sweet peas and with calendula at the base and surrounded by borage, brings in the bees. Sometimes I put lettuces inside the bean trellis so the lettuce does not bolt.

[@GrowVeg]

What a great way to cheat the seasons (and the slugs!).

[@ZeNex74]

1st year doing allotment and beans. I got around 20plants started and huge T structure built and another T structure built for cucumbers.. hope they grow up the canes well

[@GrowVeg]

Sounds like you're off to a great start. :-)

[@ShannaCarlson525]

Geez no wonder my beans died early and fast last year. Woopsie.

[@logistiekoperator4552]

Did you know the gigantes plaki are perennial, so unlike most beans you just have to plant them once and harvest Infinitely.

[@GrowVeg]

I didn’t know that, thanks for sharing this. 😀

[@veronicaselz5764]

If only I could grow them from seed outside to start. Last year something kept eating them as they emerged😢 This year all my beans will be planted with toilet paper collars🤞🤞

[@GrowVeg]

Worth protecting them as much as you can while they're still young. :-)

[@bnosnebkram]

Great advice. Thank you, as a novice allotment holder, any advice welcome. Rachel 👍👍💐

[@GrowVeg]

Thanks Rachel. Happy gardening!

[@natashahaines3134]

I have a terrible time with slugs devouring everything in the garden. This year I've been heavily pregnant and unable to keep on top of mowing our huge garden lawn which the slugs thrive under and eventually make their way into the raised beds. This year I watered in a nematode solution 1 week before planting out and have noticed a massive decrease in the amount of slugs in the raised beds, I was almost ready to give up on growing my own because it was so discouraging, but the nematodes have been a game changer! Highly recommended them, and they are natural and environmentally friendly

[@GrowVeg]

That's a really useful tip, thanks Natasha. So pleased you've got on top of those slugs!

[@harmonicresonanceproject]

Hot damn this channel is useful!

[@thewitch69]

oh yes im really hoping to be full of beans this year lol

[@peterjones7267]

Great videos I have just found you and watched a few now and I like it that you use inches as well as that metric thing. keep posting the videos thank you 👍👍👍

[@GrowVeg]

Will do Peter. Thanks for watching!

[@Refazhe]

So I recently planted some pole beans in a row kind of close to the mesh fence of my garden. I'd like to stake them with A-frames but their placement would be detrimental to walking past (the deck is pretty close. Is it too late to move them?

[@GrowVeg]

You can move them if they haven't put on too much growth and you can dig up most of the roots intact.

[@sarahbullock2162]

We are growing the same beans I believe! It made me so excited when you held up the mottled colored ones. The description on mine refer to them as "Cranberry Beans", but a quick google just showed me they are indeed the same. First time growing any style of runner/pole bean so wish me luck! The other variety I ordered is the scarlet emperor. I hope to try them both young and mature.

[@GrowVeg]

Very best of luck Sarah - I'm sure you'll ace it! :-)

[@sandrawoodall6545]

Hi I’m growing for the first time dwarf beans but 5here in a very large wide pot but I sowed the seeds two weeks ago and still no sign of them we live in the south west,do you think there not going to grow should I plant some more or what, thanks for any advice you can give me.❤

[@GrowVeg]

Hi Sandra. They may be about to poke through, or potentially the seeds may have rotted. This happens sometimes with early-sown beans. It may be worth digging down to one of the seeds to find out if there's any sign of life or if it's turned to mush. If so, then now is a perfect time to re-sow. :-)

[@janicealderson4329]

Hi Ben -although i am in the S France it has been cold and only just started to warm up - so i started everything in the tunnel to ensure everything came up. I planted some about a month ago, it was to early and they caught frost, so lucky i sowed plenty. I also had green manure and chopped and dropped it after planting and slugs moved in - so next time i need to chop and drop and let it rot down before planting.

[@GrowVeg]

Hope you manage to get a good crop of beans eventually. Still chilly here but looks like things may warm up next week. :-)

[@SusanFoxworth]

Can you post a video on growing bush beans successfully? Thank you!

[@GrowVeg]

A great idea for next season. 😀

[@Blackwaterswamp]

My son planted a rock which turned out to be a black-eye pea. Grew in a recycled water jug filled with sheep manure. Still produced with no drainage 😆

[@GrowVeg]

Oh wow!

[@just...A]

Hi. Love your channel. Do you know if it's possible to root bean plant cuttings?

[@GrowVeg]

In theory you should be able to root bean cuttings, but I've never done this and, to be honest, don't know of anyone who has successfully done so. But it could be worth a try. Probably easier just to grow more plants from seed.

[@gabearific9567]

I have Blue Lake 274 and Asparagus Beans going. I cant wait!

[@GrowVeg]

Great stuff!

[@RalfyCustoms]

Beans! Fantastic Ben, I really enjoy my runner beans, this year I've left them in the ground and hopefully they will come back soon ala perennial

[@GrowVeg]

Hope they come back for you - that would be superb if they did.

[@levanera]

I also think green beans are the best tasting home veggie. even farmers market beans just arent the same. I always plant about 40 bean plants. and eat them all! my garden favors wax beans best but I like planting all colors

[@GrowVeg]

That's a lot of bean plants Lynn! :-)

[@tylorbrand7802]

This year I'm doing scarlet runner beans and heirloom rattlesnake pole beans (which already seem to be rapid growers in the greenhouse)

[@GrowVeg]

A great pairing of beans. :-)

[@cpoco]

I planted some climbing beans behind a bench I made near my fish pond... the idea being they should grow up the improvised branch trellis behind the bench and make a nice little green shade screen.

[@GrowVeg]

Lovely idea Christopher.

[@samanthaabel1079]

grew braunhilde beans and they ended up nearly 10 feet tall and grabbed onto a branch of a tree that was behind it proceeded to run up the tree and still overproduced ... recommended for those who like purple ... it was stunning

[@GrowVeg]

Lovely variety, very pretty. :-)

[@jerrywatts3016]

Best bean growing guide!

[@racalac]

Ben what about Rust? I had very sickly looking leaves last year

[@GrowVeg]

Make sure to ensure enough space between plants so they don't get overcrowded. More on that here: www.growveg.com/plant-diseases/us-and-canada/bean-rust/

[@Katrusyas_World]

I'm growing Borlotti, Green Slenderete, and Chinese Wigna. I hope for a productive year))))))

[@oceansoul3694]

Hi Ben~ this is a great video! I'm growing pole beans, "Cherokee Wax" - a black seeded yellow bean to be exact, and bush beans, "Jade and Green Blaze, The Hulk" because I want all the harvest to come in and can it up, and the pole, runner, climber beans so I will enjoy beans all summer long. I made a fatal-to-beans mistake years ago, I let my chickens into the garden early on, and they scratched up ALL the baby bean plants...I resowed them and had a brilliant harvest all summer long. Among others, I grow Princess Di, Kentucky Wonder, Cherokee Trail of Tears also. This bean has a famous and very sad history: it was sown all along the "Death March" imposed on the Cherokee Indians as they were forcefully moved to a reservation off of the land in the southeastern US. The planted the beans along the way so they could find their way home. It breaks my heart to think of it. Thank you for helping us along! We have another 5" of snow this morning and 20 F degrees. I'll be planting beans in June!

[@GrowVeg]

I never realised that was the reason they were called Trail of Tears. Really sad indeed.

[@jasenanderson8534]

I planted green climbing beans and purple (violet queen) beans. The latter was a huge cropper. The former was good and climbed high and produced well. The purple variety were easy to find. Coming into our winter in Oz now they've all died back.