Sow bean seeds outside 5/15-7/15 (after soil temp has reached at least 60 °). Sow seeds 1” deep, 3” apart in rows 15” apart. Protect seedlings from slugs/snails (use caffeinated coffee grounds or organic phosphate based slug bait). Days to germination: 6-16. Protect plants from groundhogs & deer. Beans perform best if the seeds are inoculated with Bean Inoculant at planting time.
Harvest young pods frequently while still thin and tender. Pods left to mature will become tough.
Beans are an easy seed saving crop. They will not cross with other bean species and tend to self-pollinate. 10-20 ft between bean varieties is often good enough, 50 feet isolation distance is ideal. Minimum population size: 10 plants. Allow seeds to mature on the plants (pods will become tan and dry). Save seeds only from the best plants. Clean seed as a dry-seeded crop.
