How to Stake Green Bean Plants

Even though they require a bit more preparation, some gardeners choose to grow the pole variety green beans simply because they will produce longer than the bush variety green beans. The main requirement of pole beans is they need some sort of support to climb on as they grow. Structures can vary from a single stake to tepee-like structures, depending on your preference and materials.

1 pole, 6 to 8 feet lnog, per bean hillole (per bean hill)

3 or 4 bamboo poles, dowel rods or thin sticks, 6 feet long (per bean hill)

Shovel

String

Plant the seeds in rows three to four feet apart. Create hills three feet apart in the rows.

Install stakes at the same time you plant the seeds so the beans will have something to attach to as soon as they begin to sprout. Place a stake in the center of each hill. Plant three or four seeds around the stake, each about 1 inch deep in the soil.

Build a tepee support for your beans using three or four 6-foot lengths of bamboo, dowel rods or thin sticks. Tie them together at one end, placing the untied ends spread out a foot or two apart on the ground. Plant one to two seeds at the base of each stick.

Remove the supporting structures when the growing season is over and you have harvested all of your green beans. Save them to use again if they are salvageable.

Use a rough piece of wood or stake material that has variations in the surface; this friction will help the beans grow up the support.

Keep bean plants moist, watering about once a week (more frequently during dry weather).

Germination usually happens within a week, and the beans will readily climb the support structure provided for them.