Grow Bush Bean: Sowing Or Planting?

Last updated on October 23rd, 2023 at 08:46 pm

Growing bush beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) is simple. As a rule, sowing is done directly into the bed. But they can also be grown indoors and planted out later. We will show you how to grow bush beans successfully.

• heat-loving plants
• Germination from about 15 degrees Celsius soil temperature
• Sowing in the bed from mid-May
• preplanting from the end of April

Bush beans

Bush beans are the low-growing sisters of climbing pole beans. While the growth of the latter is unlimited, the growth height of Phaseolus vulgaris var. nanus, the botanical name of the bush bean, is between 30 and 60 centimeters. Like all varieties of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), it loves the heat. The legumes do not tolerate cold and frost at all.

Cultivation of bush beans

Growing bush beans is easy, as they are not very demanding on the soil and do not require fertilization. As a heat-loving vegetable, they need a sunny location to develop well. Therefore, in this country, the temperature is the decisive criterion in the question “sow or plant”.

Sowing bush beans

In terms of temperature, you should pay attention to the following points when direct sowing:

• Minimum soil temperature: ten degrees Celsius.
• earliest date for sowing: mid-May
• latest date for direct sowing: beginning of July

The sowing depth is about three centimeters. This allows the seeds to use the top warm layer of soil. Germination temperature varies from variety to variety. Some need more warmth, some germinate at “lower” temperatures:

• 12 to 18 degrees Celsius: Gusty, Saxa, Gondola, Amethyst, Rex, Crockett, Dior, Dorado.
• 15 to 22 degrees Celsius: Domino, Maxi
• 15 to 25 degrees Celsius: Berggold, Brilliant, Delinel, Sonesta, Speedy

If the soil temperature corresponds to the respective variety requirements, bush beans germinate within one to two weeks. Harvesting takes place between July and September, depending on the sowing date. If a cold snap threatens during germination, you should protect your beans with a plant fleece.

Note: In mild regions, sowing bush beans is possible as early as the end of April.

Grow bush beans in advance

In addition to sowing in the garden bed, bush beans can also be grown in advance. As with direct sowing, the temperature is also decisive here. Therefore, the beans should be kept at about 20 degrees Celsius until planting. The ideal locations are a bright windowsill or a warm greenhouse.

For preplanting, proceed as follows:

• fill small pots with a diameter of eight to ten centimeters with compost soil.
• place four to five seeds in each pot
• planting depth: about two centimeters

Water well and keep moist

The young plants are planted in the garden bed in mid-May after the Ice Saints. In this way, they have a head start of about two weeks compared to direct sowing. On the other hand, preplanting is more time-consuming, as you first have to transplant the plants.

Note: Since it can be cooler outside than inside in mid-May, get the young beans used to the new temperature conditions before planting.

Bush beans in tub culture

Bush beans can also be grown in containers on a balcony or patio. Since the legumes develop a dense root system, you should use a large pot so that the plants feel comfortable.

Whether you preplant or sow the beans in the tub culture is up to you. Since the plants are cultivated in a tub, you can sow the seeds in the final container and preplant them indoors. The ideal time in this case is also the end of April.

Frequently asked questions

Can I reseed bush beans?

Yes, it is possible. However, there are varieties, such as Gusty, that develop new flowers on their own after harvesting. In this case, you can leave the plants in the ground until the last harvest.

Do I have to pay attention to the temperature when reseeding?

As a rule, the weather should be warm enough for the seeds after the first harvest. However, if you reseed later, the temperature may not be ideal during flowering, as it should be between 10 and 30 degrees Celsius.

How to sow bush beans?

When direct sowing, you can sow in rows or horst. When sowing in rows, it is important that you leave enough space between the seeds.