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Phaseolus vulgaris var. nanus

Bush bean

Common names: Green bean, French bean, Snap bean

Bush bean

Description

The bush bean grows compactly without a trellis and delivers plenty of tender pods from July onwards. As a legume it gathers nitrogen through root nodule bacteria and leaves the bed better than it found it. Raw beans are inedible because of phasin; only cooking makes them digestible.

Care instructions

Sow the seeds only from mid-May (week 20), once night frosts are over, in clusters of five about 3 cm deep. Hill the young plants up slightly so they stand firm. Water regularly at the base, above all during flowering, and pick the pods young and continuously; that keeps new ones coming.

Soil & site

Soil pH

4.0pH 6–7.28.0

Soil type

sandy, loamy, humus-rich, well-drained

LightFull sun
HardinessFrost-sensitive
Crop rotationLegumes
Water needMedium

Feeding

Light feeder

Companion planting

Good neighbors

cabbage family (Brassicaceae)

particularly well established

Leguminous plants collect nitrogen in the soil, from which Brassicaceae benefit as heavy feeders.

For example White cabbageRadishKalebroccolicauliflowerbeet greens and 31 more species in the catalogue

Source: classic companion planting (DACH-Gartenpraxis)

carrot family (Apiaceae)

Peas and beans provide carrot and celery with nitrogen and grow as shallow-rooted plants without competition next to each other.

For example DillParsleyCorianderCarawayparsley rootparsnip and 14 more species in the catalogue

Source: classic companion planting (DACH-Gartenpraxis)

gourd family (Cucurbitaceae)

Beans and peas enrich the soil with nitrogen, which cucurbits, as heavy feeders, can make good use of.

For example ButternutHokkaidoSpaghetti squashMexican minich cucumberInca cucumberBitter melon and 6 more species in the catalogue

Source: classic companion planting (DACH-Gartenpraxis)

Rather not

amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae)

particularly well established

Allium species inhibit the nitrogen‑fixing rhizobia of legumes through their root exudates, which slows their growth.

For example ChivesDaffodilSnowdropornamental garlicAgapanthus lilyWild garlic

Source: basic crop‑rotation rule

Companion planting is partly traditional gardening lore. Where the reason is known, it is given.

Some of these explanations were machine-translated.

Diseases & pests

6 relevant

From the knowledge base, automatically linked by affected species. How to spot and prevent them is covered in full in the lexicon.

PestmediumApr–Aug
Aphids

Aphidoidea

You will find that aphids are the most common sucking pests in your garden.

More on Aphids
DiseasemediumJun–Sep
Boll rot disease of beans

Colletotrichum lindemuthianum

The boll rot disease is a fungal disease on bush, pole, and fire beans, which mainly distorts the pods.

More on Boll rot disease of beans
DiseasemediumJul–Sep
Bean rust

Uromyces appendiculatus

Bean rust is a fungal disease that occurs above all in high summer on bush beans, pole beans and runner beans.

More on Bean rust
DiseasehighMay–Sep
White mould (sclerotinia)

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

White mould is caused by the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and attacks many vegetable crops, especially lettuces and beans.

More on White mould (sclerotinia)
PestmediumMay–Sep
Two-spotted spider mite

Tetranychus urticae

The two-spotted spider mite appears above all in dry heat in the greenhouse and sucks on the underside of the leaves, which makes the leaves first pale and speckled, then dull bronze coloured, before…

More on Two-spotted spider mite
DiseasehighMay–Oct
White mould (Sclerotinia rot)

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

White mould, also called Sclerotinia rot, is a fungal disease with a broad host range that attacks lettuce, beans and many other crops.

More on White mould (Sclerotinia rot)

Varieties

6 varieties
View all 6 varieties

Notes from real gardens

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