Definitely thin them down to 1 per cell. Best to cut them, as you say, as beans don't have the most fibrous root sytem and seperating them would be too much of a shock. After that I would probably space them 4-5" apart. 3" seems too close.

Personally, I'm always amazed to see beans in packs. A packet of seeds is very cheap (usually) and beans are very, very easy to sprout. Among the easiest seeds out there. If you have more seeds than you need for a planting you will have extra for a second/backup sowing or for the next year. They keep for at least 2-4 years, esp. if refrigerated.

Yeah, I'm starting some beans (soybeans, bush beans, etc) from seed. But I was eager to get my pole beans out last month to take advantage of our early warmth. And I couldn't find this haricot verte (Emerite) anywhere in a pole bean seed at the time. Thanks for responding.

-k

Selling 6 packs of beans seedlings, I think this is just wrong. I agree with pepperdude, beans are simple to grow. work soil, drop in bean seed, water and watch it grow. They come up really quick.

Those nursery people have to be making a killing off of selling bean plants.

Kristi, I am not saying you were wrong, I just think you would have been better off buying a packet of seeds for 95 cents.

Good Luck and keep us updated with your progress.

Hey JrSlick, so do you concur about thinning the seedlings down to just 1 shoot per spot? They're currently 2 and 3 per spot, spaced every 6". They haven't been growing very fast the last couple weeks, though they look fine and healthy. We've also had a cold snap, so that could be the reason. Either way, we're going to have some nice heat in a couple days so I better decided whether or not I'm brave enough to thin to 1 plant per spot.

I have an 8' long trellis, and I have 12 spots for them spaced every 6-ish inches. So really the question is 12 plants, or more like 24 plants.

My brother came over the other day and laughed. He said I'm gonna have enough to sell them at the farmer's market and give them away to every single person we know. LOL

Anyway, thought I'd also mention I'm not a *brand* new gardener, it's my second year of this but I still consider myself a newbie. I did my pole beans last year in a large terra cotta pot with a tee pee and got a small yield but the pot was hard to keep watered consistently.

I started with a few small SFG beds last year, and this year I have expanded to include 2 ginormous 2'-deep raised beds and I've been converting a bunch of my other landscaping to edibles. I figure if we're gonna have a drought and water rationing here in california, I'm gonna use my water for something useful. Hence, fruit trees and veggies!

Thanks again for the input.

-kmama

Thin the cells down to one plant, I always space my pole beans about 8 - 10 inches apart and always get a huge crop of great tasting beans, I also think starting your own will give the best results, let a few pods go to seed and use next year... this stuff really grows on you, I just love my garden, anyway good luck and my best growing wishes to you.

Thanks for the advice and encouragement!

I am really really loving the garden. We harvested our first chard and lettuces the other day, and my kids (aged 6 and 3) were literally grabbing raw chard and popping it into their mouths! Hope this trend continues.

-k

I would not separate the beans plants from the cell packs. The roots of beans HATE to be disturbed. Plant each cell 6 inches apart, being careful when taking out of the cells.

Hey Shirley, sorry I wasn't clearer. They're already planted. Each cell i at 6" spacing.

Just not sure if I should cut down to 1 plant per.

-k

Considering the few plants you have, don't separate them or cut any out. Not even if there is 1 inch between some. When beans are planted commercially, they drop to the soil and many times 3 seeds will sprout in the same spot. Then again, there may be 10 inches between plants. Everything will average out. Nothing to worry about.