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Beans, Peas & Legumes

Too late to plant green beans?

17 years ago

The heat was not kind to my green bean plants and now the bean beetles have eaten my pods. I would like to plant again using row cover - anyone have experience planting the second week in August and harvesting nice beans before the frost? I'm in southern MN, zone 4b,

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Comments (3)

chrmann
17 years ago
I did this one year. Cut your plants down to about 4 inches. They will send out new growth. Throw the bug eaten parts you cut off in the garbage (in a bag to help suffocat them and so they won't escape!). That is the only way you will be able to have some more beans. It is getting too late to plant a fall crop. Also, keep in mind, late crops are usually eaten by bugs. So, you might want to spray for bugs now that you are starting over with these plants. You could probably use a row cover immediately after you spray the plants. I'll leave it to you what you spray your beans with. I'm an organic grower. I usually tear the plants out and re-plant or cut them back and try to get another crop (based on how late in the growing season it is). Your only option would be to cut the plants back and let them bush back out.
gardenlad
17 years ago
Depends on two things: What you mean by "green beans" and when is your first frost date.

Bush types will produce much faster than pole types---in as little as 43 days, in fact. So at this point your choice is bush beans or no beans. I don't know your first frost date. You'll have to figure that one out, then see how much time you have between now and then, and pick an appropriate bush variety.
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Concur. I grew up in Fluvanna, lived in Warsaw (northern neck for a time) Could plant pole beans in July for September-October harvest. Always did the pole horticultural that way for harvest as October beans. Kentucky Wonders, Cutshorts, Lazy Wife also worked. Late bush beans were planted by August 15. Never gardened in Richmond or Henrico county, but you have a slightly longer season than Fluvanna or the northern Neck. Sweet corn does not make good bean poles. If you need to plant cornfield beans, use an older type field corn.
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Prairiemoon, I found a "formula" on the SESE site for figuring how much time you need for a late crop of something. You find your average first frost date, then count back the days to maturity for whatever you want to plant, then count back 2 weeks for the shortening of days and then count back however many days you want to be harvesting before losing the crop to frost. You can shorten that last amount if you use row covers. I thought it was a helpful bit of information. I planted Contender Bush Beans a couple years ago and they were the first bush beans I ever planted that I thought tasted as good as pole beans. I have read lots of recommendations for Provider on the forums too, but have not grown that one.
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I didn't have much luck with a fall planting of green bush beans. I tried it twice, different years. The weather was the proper cool temps, but the problem seemed to be the waning sunlight hours. The planting area had plenty of sunshine, but the shortening days seemed to leave them struggling. The beans sprouted ok, but didn't really take off. The spring planting had done well, so I hoped the fall planting would too. Maybe you'll have better luck than me. WildRose Riverside County
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It's nice to have plants with a special meaning. I think all the beans I've seen have been about 60-65 days to maturity, so I would plant a few now for a late-season crop this year; save the rest to plant next spring - they should be fine, just be sure they are completely dry and free of any mold or mildew, then pack them up, label them, and keep them in a cool, dark place until it is time to plant in spring (probably around mid-May). Seeds are usually sown at a depth equal to twice their largest dimension, so if these are 1/2" long, you would plant 1" deep. If you should get an early frost, a floating row cover, or even a tarp or old sheet or blanket should provide enough protection. (Just be sure to take it off in the daytime.) Yes, Pegi's book is just for NJ gardening. The title is "Month-By-Month Gardening in New Jersey" and it is published by Cool Springs Press. Check your local library, they may have a copy. We have a copy in our horticultural library at Deep Cut Gardens in Middletown, NJ, which is open to the public. That's a bit of a drive from where you are, but we get lots of visitors from Ocean County. If you're ever up our way, stop in; the park is on Red Hill Road, just 1.7 miles from Exit 114 of the Garden State Parkway. Good luck with those beans! Oh, if you can, take a few pictures of the entire plant, then just individual pics of leaf, flower and beans (of entire pod and of beans inside). It would help to have something like a ruler or coin nearby for size reference. Maybe with those photos, someone can identify it for you.
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noinwi
17 years ago
I'm in Western Wisconsin and I just planted 'Contender' bush beans. Maturity in 48 days(hopefully). Our first frost date is sooner than yours but I'm trying it anyway. It's just a small patch of them so maybe I can extend the season a bit with a row cover of some type. It did take a while to find the seed, though, as most retailers have pulled their seed racks already. I found mine in a 25 cent box at a discount store. Go for it and good luck!

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