A Farmer's Guide to Mastering Growing Green Beans

My uncle is a commercial bean farmer. He shared with me everything he does to get massive and consistent green beans and snap beans. These tips I am sharing with you to help you grow big and yield big!

[@mitchellgrell5716]

Thank you, Luke. A) Fertilizing green beans at the ground-breaking point of germination with nitrogen and B) sowing seeds, when temperatures begin to cool down again were new knowledge to me ... and thanks for your always chipper way of seeing and showing things. That's always very refreshing.

[@ldg2655]

This video is perfect timing! My bush beans took 3 plantings to get a stand. They germinated, grew @6 inches and sat there… ALLLLL summer long. I didn’t pick a single bean all summer.. We were in a bad drought for 2 1/2-3 months.. My beans never took off until this September.. now, they are finally beginning to produce..

[@Nikki-mx5my]

Nice! I’m glad you didn’t pull the plants out.

[@deliliah50]

What is the fertilizer for green beans

[@amyk6028]

I learned after several years, beans like a LOT of water! If thru aren’t flowering and/or producing, water them well for a few days early in the morning and they will start up again!

[@wendymoore5801]

Blue Lake 274 have been my "go to" green beans for years! They are consistent and never fail to produce a bumper crop!!!

[@beverlyr8152]

Loving my arched trellis for green beans, so easy to pick, and the slugs don't get them

[@philcoppa]

I find the pole beans incredibly productive. We had a hot dry summer and they still did well. Easier on the back to pick than bush beans.

[@rayjones4963]

Luke, thank you so much. I'm doing about 8 to 10 raised beds this year, and I'm wanting to do them right. I'm planting as you say and I'm thankful for all the help. I'm older than most people starting out with gardening...78, but sooooo excited in doing this. Thank you again my friend.

[@j.j.holloway9099]

I wanted to post a reply regarding adding nitrogen at the very beginning when bean plants are just emerging. I did this on my 3 rows of beans and my first yield gave me more from one row than I got last year from 4 rows! Thank you so much Luke for this and all of your great advice on gardening. You have been my go-to for all of my plants this year.

[@trishthehomesteader9873]

Thanks for the reminder, Luke! We just went from hovering around 100° right down to the 80s. Time to plant beans and peas again! I like the fertilize once too!👍 Blessings! 💚

[@lucindagrant9790]

I received my second order of seeds from MI today! Ordered several bean varieties. I also just finished drying and harvesting my tomato seeds the way Luke showed, easy! Thanks for the knowledge.

[@paperm2023]

MI is easily one of the best seed companies in the world

[@dustyflats3832]

I made first order from them a bit ago for next years seeds and I also want to try my hand at dried beans. 😊

[@justjenn9011]

I add some fertilizer once my beans sprout, ive gotten so many off of a small 3 by 4 foot raised bed already. When i was little, my grandma had a huge garden, mainly of green beans haha. We would spend many days sitting there snapping and canning green beans, but most of what i know came from her. Thanks for all the tips!

[@Car-jy8pw]

If you accidentally leave beans too long and they start to die, clip off must of the leaves. They’ll almost always grow back. I do that for pole beans but with bush beans you might as well start over. Also… sprinkle a little mycorrhizal powder on your beans before planting if you haven’t planted legumes there before.

[@outdoorgal9602]

What does the mycorrhiza powder do?

[@Car-jy8pw]

@@outdoorgal9602 It has fungal spores that help break down nutrients around the roots for better absorption. They reproduce and live in the soil so you should not need much and you should only have to add them once.

[@suzannahharris8007]

Last three years I've been on a quest to successfully grow green beans. This video answered my question about fertilizing. I have two nice beds getting ready to flower. Fingers crossed, and now I know how to harvest correctly. Also, they are part of my fall garden-- thanks to your video on what can be planted in Aug & Sept. -- I went for it!

[@Laycismom]

This was great information. I’m in central California. I tried planting beans twice this year. Once in Spring and I only got one plant to germinate. It never made it to maturity though. It was very hot and I really need to improve my soil. I have a first year garden. With cooler weather finally getting here and my soil somewhat improved thanks to my composting grass clippings, I plan to grow some fall beans. Thank you for the great information. Uncles can be so awesome! 😊

[@jaytoney3007]

Okay, that explains why I am getting so many pole beans. I planted them on April 10th, and have been picking beans daily since they started producing. They are starting to slow down now, and are thinning down. I generally do three crop rotations with bush beans, getting three harvests with each rotation, in central Alabama. I grow a mix of Blue Lake pole beans, Cantare, Dragon Tongue, Tongues of Fire, Golden Butterwax, and Blue Lake bush beans. Needless to say, I have a lot of beans, enough to last through the winter. I am in the process of transitioning to fall/winter crops. Using low tunnels over my raised beds, I should be able to keep some of the hardier plants producing throughout the winter.

[@gregkramarz8871]

I started picking mine on July 2nd, and they're still going!!! I pick every 30hrs and get LOADS. it's a good year for them

[@thatonegirl1837]

Thanks! We had a strange growing season this year. The beans just didn't produce very much. I wrote all of this down and will apply my new knowledge next year. You're so helpful! ❤️

[@MsTwiththeTea1980]

Best of luck to you next season 😊

[@SarahReinhardt-dl4qr]

Thanks a ton Luke! The Ace in your back pocket is now mine because you were generous enough to share. Bring on the beans!

[@darrenwalker905]

Learned anything? Yes! Wished this was posted last Friday, just before I fertilized my beans to give them a boost after my second harvest. 😉 But next year, I will know better. I did use Trifecta when I planted them. Guess that's all they needed.

[@bridgedancer]

Perfect timing. I’m starting my fall garden and I was under the impression that beans are a summer plant and peas were the spring and fall. So excited to plant beans again this year and wish I had ordered more when you had your sale.

[@kele1264]

I'm so glad you are sharing your Uncle's expertise! Can't get this anywhere else! Thank you so much for sharing his experience, wisdom, science, and stories! This is great!!! Thank you!!!

[@MsTwiththeTea1980]

I greatly appreciate all this knowledge 😊

[@afrocraft1]

So I tried a one-time, high-nitrogen liquid fish fertilizer application at seedling emergence in late April this year. Boy, my bush beans are now the height of my mature garlic and flowering like crazy. Can't wait for the harvest. If you follow this tip, have a plan to support your bush beans as well, or the stems, which are thicker than usual, might break, lowering your yield.

[@suzannefronzaglio2427]

What do you use for adding the nitrogen fertilizer after the seedlings emerge (as you said, a week after). If not adding nitrogen fertilizer to the soil before planting the green beans.... what form (liquid or granular?) of nitrogen fertilizer do you use? 👍🙂 And I thank you for the great tips you shared in this video! Now I see what I did wrong (this year was the first time I grew green beans). Great info as always.

[@judyclossey6229]

Did anyone respond to what type of nitrogen fertilizer is used after beans emerge? 0:01

[@daveglowa9546]

​@@judyclossey6229 I use urea,which is granular nitrogen, mix in soil and water well,not to much could burn plants

[@lorrigierman7089]

Great information!! This is what I watch MIgardener for. Made lots of notes and will hopefully improve my bean harvest next year. Gardening is a constant learning process and you are an awesome teacher. Thank you!

[@heathercragun5065]

This was perfect, thank you! I’ve always just sort of left my beans to their own devices after I plant them and I was going to give up on them. Now I have renewed excitement for next year! Thanks again!

[@burrocakes8048]

My pole bean experience correlates to exactly what you said not to do LOL. I planted too early and they rotted and died. I then planted a second round which started fine but then it got really hot 90-105+ (desert southwest) each day and while the plants didn’t die, they just stopped growing really going into a dormant state. Better luck for me next year of course! I will follow your advice, especially the timing part.

[@Sparkysings2]

Oh man I wish this was out in the spring. My beans got decimated this year. I’ve never had that happen before. I was really looking forward to a lot of beans this year. Thanks for posting. I’ll save this for next spring.

[@luba-healthywithluba6866]

Thank you for this priceless information! I did not realize the best time to fertilize. This was a hot summer, and I watered almost daily on the days it did not rain. Thank you for the advice to harvest early and often!

[@rrobertson4191]

Nothing like wisdom for old! Thanks to you and your Uncle! Thanks for all you teach us! You should have him as a special guest!

[@sixfigurebookkeeper7588]

Luke, I so appreciate your enthusiasm for green beans. I planted some for the first time in August just to see what they do - Ive never grown green beans before but I bought 10 lbs at the farmers market in springtime and I paid way too much for non-organic beans (would rather pay local farmer more rather than pay less at the grocery store chain though). Anyhoo, I can’t believe how prolific the bush beans are! They have just started with tiny beans appearing but it’s definitely piqued my interest in growing them again and actively participating in getting an amazing crop. I was super stoked at the start of the video to hear how stoked you are by them and that there indeed are steps to take to improve yields - thank you (and your uncle) for the hot tips.

[@maxroseman2298]

I've never heard such sound advice!

[@ruthlukes8397]

Thank you Luke for all of the great information! I plant a 40 foot row of green beans every year for canning. I will follow your great advice. My husbands mom always taught me to hill my beans for support from the winds. That has worked great too! Happy Gardening!

[@cindyeasterling6917]

Our beans were doing great, and then it got really hot, and the blossoms just dropped. Good to know those temperature perimeters. Got some fall beans looking good right now. Our first time growing fall beans.

[@XenobiaF]

I always grow green beans because my grandmother grew them. I’ve tried several varieties, but I always go back to Kentucky Wonder Beans because that’s what she grew and they are my favorite!

[@italianwiseguy4658]

WOW GREAT VIDEO LUKE! I'm going to be applying these tips to my beans this season. I appreciate you teaching people how to grow more food for themselves and there families. What a calling and a fulfilling venture!

[@garywolf1893]

This was my first year gardening and I would rate the green bean as one of my most effective crops. I planted bush beans early season and had good success. Then I planted about 6 pole bean plants and currently I get about 3-5 # a week for the last 5 plus weeks. Just keep picking and they keep producing. I used zero fertilizer in my new garden but will say I did have a ton of clover growing in the spot before I turned it into a garden. I would guess that this provided nitrogen

[@AriannaReyn]

I just love his enthusiasm ❤

[@sarabarentine8310]

This is great. I'm ready to maximize my harvest this year. Green beans are a staple in my house and I would love to have tons of them. Thanks for the tips.

[@RedandAprilOff-Grid]

I enjoy your videos and helpful tips! 😎 I planted yard long beans this year.They are a tall climbing bean and very productive. I planted them in the topsoil I gathered from under the mesquite trees that we have here in the desert.The soil appears to be high in nitrogen, and everything did very well without any added fertilizer of any kind.

[@alicewhitley6441]

Thank you Luke. Sharing these tips were an eye opener

[@chrisd8795]

Last year here in NC it was hot and dry. My green beans gave two early flushes and they began to die back. I pruned them back in July. They began to jump mid August, and I harvested beans until the second week of November. I do the same for my tomatoes each year so I thought I would give the beans a try and was so happy with the success. No need to pull the plants out and resow, just prune pack and with the root system already developed, it will not take long to be harvesting again. ❤

[@christinefunk3208]

I like this idea! How far back did you prune?

[@chrisd8795]

@@christinefunk3208 I cut off about 1/2 to 2/3’s of the plant. Because the roots are so established it grows back in no time. I do this every year with my tomatoes. ☺️

[@LindaMcKnight]

​@@chrisd8795 Do you fertilize again after you cut them back?

[@clydesmith8560]

Best advice I've Ever gotten concerning green beans. A complete lesson in one setting. Thanks 😊

[@user-te7zz8mv3x]

i can’t wait to sow my beanns! many thanks for sharing

[@jillwright8196]

Thanks Luke! This will help me A LOT!!

[@barbschuby9235]

Thx for the fertilizer tip & temp info too !

[@connietaylor1336]

Always learn something new. Thank you. We didn't realize the heat was an issue , but our plants did stop and start drying out during our hottest months.

[@lewidlivelewid]

Fantastic tips! I don't know any of those beforehand, but I'll be implementing them all. Thank you!

[@toniedrescher5206]

This is one of my favorite videos. It helped me so much. Thank you so much Luke. Ur the best.

[@angelaanderson5360]

Good info Luke! Thank you.

[@peterwong1231]

Great tips Luke. I always fertilized when I placed the seed in the ground. Will remember this tip next spring. Thank you

[@kimberlysmith5321]

Thank you Luke, excellent video. I learned a lot. I have my fall beans planted and their just coming up. I'm going to be fertilizing them tomorrow. I sure didn't know to do that before watching your video

[@donnayoung5942]

Just what I’ve been needing! I feel like a green plant should be easy but I have not had any luck with them. Excited to try some of these tips. Thanks

[@Pausereflectandbreathe]

Oh wow! No wonder why I didn't get a good harvest this year. Thank you Luke for the clarification! Looking forward for next year's planting. ❤️🙏

[@mother8576]

Green beans are my favorite to grow and harvest. Thank you for all the tips.

[@nancyspruiell347]

I just bought some of your bean seeds recently. I've never grown them b4. I've saved this and will come back to it in the Spring for a reminder. Thanks so much, Luke!

[@marthakratz7877]

You just answered all my questions about my problems with getting beans to grow.

[@lidip8700]

WHAT! I didn't know I could plant a fall crop of green beans! We just cleared the cucumbers out of their bed. .. now I'm running out to seed some green beans!! (I seeded spinach after watching your video about fall planting. This fall gardening is new to us! How exciting!!)

[@rickschattilly6398]

Thank you for sharing. I had gotten some contender pole beans this year love them.

[@markkristynichols845]

Just loaded my cart with about 50 packets at your online store and excited to get another email when some of my favorites are back in stock! Thanks for this (and all) of your videos!!! ❤️ y’all, Kristy in Missouri zone 6b 😃🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@nolagirlhomestead]

Nearly a year later and your fertilizing tip holds true! The growth and bloom set are amazing. Will have to update with # of flushes and overall harvest. 9b

[@leentmd]

Do you mind me asking what fertilizer you decided to use?

[@nolagirlhomestead]

@@leentmd Urea when beans break ground and nothing after as Luke recommended.

[@leentmd]

Thank you so much!

[@jana73827]

This is new information to me and I am an experienced gardener. Thank you for sharing.

[@camicri4263]

Awesome!Thanks Luke!God bless!💞

[@marilynrowland5197]

Wow, Luke, this was just great! We have had a garden for decades, but knew NONE of these tips! We've had pretty good yields, anyway, but this will put us into the green bean stratosphere! Thanks!

[@wonderlucha]

I really appreciate this info. I’ll be applying this knowledge cause beans are my nemesis!

[@debbiefockler9890]

My early summer bean harvest wasn’t good at all. We had enough to eat, but not enough to can to get us through the winter. I didn’t know about the second fertilizer tip that you gave. I will try that next year. I did plant two more beds with beans in late August. They are flowering well, so I hope to get a better yield. The forecast is for high in the eighties, so I’m hoping that doesn’t slow production at this time. I live in zone 6b in Michigan parallel to where you live, so your information helps me. Thank you for all you do. Take care.

[@debbiespitznagel1472]

That was super informative, Luke, thank you. I'll be getting ready, soon, to plant mine.

[@elizabethrowe9432]

Love your tips!

[@alicecaressimo1309]

Luke, thank you for this information. I did start my beans late August and it is producing so much beans that my family can't keep up. We have beans almost every night for dinner! Thank you! Your uncle is a wise farmer!

[@donrobinson2156]

thanks for great info just when i need it. i am about to plant all my MIgardener bean seeds (and many other MI seeds as well) in southern california. you DO inspire!

[@MsTwiththeTea1980]

So glad I found this channel 😊newer gardener here with so much to learn 👍🏾

[@JoyfullyOrangeDeborah]

Thank you for sharing all that you've learned from your uncle, Luke! I need to make a chart of when to fertilize & water what plants. Blessings to you all from Deborah in West Virginia!

[@patriot2195]

Thanks Luke, very informative! 👍

[@alexhudspeth1213]

I did Cherokee Heirloom and Top Pick this year, and they are doing great! We did have a few get too big, but I still have flowers and new pods, even in the 110 degree weather we're having. Thanks for the video!

[@selecttravelvacations7472]

So happy I watched this today! I’m ready for green beans this year for sure! I also just ordered 28 packs of seeds from your site just now. What great deals on seed!

[@lucienbaranov]

Thanks for sharing this valuable information. You present it well. I look forward to applying the techniques you employ. Right now I have five bean plants that have sprouted like lightning in my garden box using your method. They are sharing the space with cucumbers, peas, and bok choy. Can’t wait to see if there will be crop before the weather gets too cold.

[@aimeeetterling7683]

Green beans are my absolute favorite to grow. I have limited space so I grow vining types. This is awesome info, I’ve always been afraid to fertilize.

[@seachelle8810]

Thanks for the good tips on growing beans. This is my first time! My plants just started popping up. They are about 5 inches tall so far. I will comment again at the end of my planting season to let you know how good they did! 🌱🌿💚

[@pamelawagner9440]

Thank you!!! Green beans are one of my main crops because most everyone in the house loves them. This is great information and although I had a good year of beans, it hasn’t been spectacular. Now I’ll know what to do for next year! Thank you!!

[@Mona-fd5kf]

Thank you. I enjoyed this video easy to follow along and take notes. I learned a lot especially how and why sometimes my beans failed or were not so productive. I have new seedlings coming up and hopefully I'll apply all that I've learned today and have a great harvest. Thanks again.

[@jozeedz9549]

Love your channel, cause we’re always learning something new . I ordered your maxibel Haricot bean in December. My honey planted them & they are starting to come in ❤️👍🏼

[@robinfjones5848]

i love green beans as does my whole family. I am a very new vegtable gardener and grew beans in the fall. I did not fertilize correctly. This is awesome! Thank you for everything.

[@azokalum]

This make a positive difference in how productive my green beans will be next year. Freet then for the first time this year and was so pleased with the flavour.

[@andreaarias2085]

Thank you, Luke!

[@Happy2Run4Me]

Oooh fun content! I’m growing my first planting of various varieties of green beans and my goodness they are so much fun to grow! I’m addicted! My pole beans are growing their first pods and I’m just fascinated by the whole process. 😁I was wondering when to start picking them. I did know to harvest them early to get more production and have had luck with that method with my pepper plants. I have about 15 bush beans planted and 10 pole beans planted and growing up to the top of my 10 foot trellis! It’s just so beautiful to watch them grow and then to know they’re also producing food for my family is all the more satisfying.☺️ I planted MIGardener Strike Beans (I’m in East Texas zone 8b) and wow they are growing like a champ! Love it! Now I have some more techniques to apply to my beans. Thank you!

[@kele1264]

Thanks Luke!

[@deborahtofflemire7727]

I planted a better crop of beans this year in the late summer early fall. Best beans ever.and they are still growing. Mine are growing in a raised bed with a panel of fence to clime on .But you talked about them liking cooler temps one day and I remembered.Thank you ❤

[@shaunawilliamson3178]

Thank you for this video! It is generally in the 60's year round, here on the Oregon Coast. I have always struggled with beans. I now feel prepared to conquer them... if they can live through the slugs.

[@chrisspringer614]

Luke. Thanks you. I learned about fertilizing and temperature requirements.

[@sharonvaughn8062]

This was so helpful! Thank you.

[@papabearspepperchannel8604]

Great vid! Expanding from just peppers, and adding more veggies!

[@jacinte8906]

Hello Luc! I will try to follow your advise next year thanks, but I followed last year advise on planting beans a second time later on in the year, really helped me I am north of Montréal zone 5b so I planted some beans late July and getting beans now thank you.

[@jimisparx6953]

These tips were absolute GOLD. No wonder I've never had much luck with them, I had NO IDEA there were so many curve balls to raising these guys!

[@mbmiller1956]

Excellent info!

[@nataliehilscher5071]

Thank you! I had no idea about when is the best time to fertilize, that's great to know.

[@lwjenson]

Yay!!! I was just thinking about how I needed to figure this out because I love green beans and the last two years I have had a super sad harvest.

[@jackiehorsley9263]

awesome video Luke speaking of beans I am growing them myself there just starting to produce for me I well definitely keep your tips In mind

[@recordman555]

It's late May here in northern Mississippi. I've ordered my bean seeds. Looking forward to increasing my home garden. I already have yellow squash, zucchini, Yukon gold potatoes, Roma tomatoes - San Marzano tomatoes are germinating. Looking forward to adding these beans, along with broccolini. Thanks for this video!

[@tkaart2242]

Great tips! Most of this I actually figured out on my own from trial and error over the last 15 years of gardening. Wish I would of known this before! Temp makes a huge difference in the South...so for us early planting in April...pick early....then I leave the beans in the ground...no production from June, July to Early August...then they pick back up producing when temps lower at night and in the day. I then get beans from last August to late Oct. to Nov 3 my avg. frost date. I do plant more beans in August...just harvesting those as my beans from April are starting to peter out. This year and last year have been my best years growing green beans. Thankful!

[@peggytometich5067]

Thank you, Luke!!

[@joeyhardin1288]

Thanks Luke. Planted some really late green beans; hoping they will have at least two picks from them. God Bless and stay safe.

[@CcC-qw7mk]

Very clear explanation. Thanks so much❤