How Far Apart To Plant Bush Beans

How far apart to plant bush beans is one question that may be on your mind as a grower. Beans are common staples we make use of in our various dishes and bush beans are one nice tasting beans variety. When it comes to growing bush beans it is pretty easy to grow particularly in a square foot garden.

Ideally, beans are of two types which are bush beans and pole beans and their differences mainly refer to their growing style. Then other several beans varieties come from these two types of beans.

When growing bush beans, they are inclined to spread wide as this is their growing style. They usually don’t require support, unlike pole beans.  But when it comes to their plant spacing, what is the ideal spacing for bush beans?

In this post, we will be discussing the question; of how far apart to plant bush beans. Now let’s get into this.

How Far Apart To Plant Bush Beans; Bush Bean Spacing

We know bush beans variety tends to grow by spreading. But what is the appropriate spacing for bush beans?

Even though bush beans plant grows in a compacted manner, you still need to space them appropriately for them to grow optimally and flourish.

So, when it comes to the spacing of bush beans, below is the spacing rule you should follow;

• Seed Spacing; When you’re ready to sow the bush bean seed, you should sow seeds about 3 inches apart. The seed should also be sown about one inch deep into the soil.
• Row Spacing; When it comes to the row spacing of bush beans, your plants should be spaced 18 to 24 inches apart.
• Container Spacing; For container spacing, the bush bean seeds should be spaced around 3 inches apart and at most 2 inches from the side of the container or pot.

Additionally, you can always check the seed package instructions for the appropriate plant spacing for your bush beans.

How Wide Do Bush Beans Grow?

The rate at which bush beans tend to spread wide will mainly depend on the type of bush bean variety. Some bush bean variety and their width spacing are;

• Contender – The contender bush bean that is heat-resistant is inclined to grow about 18 to 30 inches tall and wide. You can harvest your pods in around 55 days. They are resistant to the common mosaic virus (BCMV).
• Provider – This is a type of vigorous compact bush beans. They can grow up to 18 inches in height and they can spread to about 10 inches wide. Their root system is pretty strong. Harvesting of the provider beans should be ready in around 50 to 60 days. Provider beans variety is not only resistant to the common mosaic virus (BCMV), it is also resistant to powdery mildew and downy mildew.

Survival Garden Seeds – Provider Bush Bean Seed for Planting

• Blue Lake 274 – This type of bush bean variety tends to grow 15 to 20 inches tall and spread to about10 inches wide. This makes them ideal for growing in pots or containers and also garden beds. The crop should be ready for harvest in around 50 to 70 days. The blue lake 274 is one popular type of bush bean that is determinate. It is a very high-yielding bush bean variety. These beans are resistant to the common mosaic virus (BCMV).

How Many Bush Beans Are In A Square Foot Garden?

Because bush beans tend to grow in a compacted or spreading manner, one can grow them in a small space and still get abundant yield. So, when it comes to a square foot garden, you can actually plant about 9 bush beans per square foot garden.

How Do Bush Beans Grow Successfully?

It is quite easy and straightforward to grow bush beans. It is crucial you provide your bush beans with optimal growing conditions to achieve great results.

So, below are some tips you can follow to successfully grow bush beans:

·         Soil

The bush bean tends to flourish well in clay or silt loam soil that is neutral or sparingly acidic with a pH of around 6 to 7. Therefore, we recommend you perform a soil test for your garden soil to find out the soil pH. Alternatively, you can make use of pH test strips and do the soil test yourself.

·         Sunlight

Bush bean plant will thrive well under full sun supply. Ideally, between 6 to 8 hours of direct sun supply daily would be great.  However, bush beans can still survive or tolerate some shade. But if you want a vigorous and more productive outcome, then you should provide them with full sunlight.

·         Fertilizer – How Far Apart To Plant Bush Beans

Fertilizer application may be quite tricky. This is because legumes such as beans don’t need too much nitrogen supply. They tend to make or fix nitrogen from the air. If you add excess nitrogen to the plant, it will enhance leafy growth rather than pod production. Hence, a fertilizer that is heavy in nitrogen should be avoided for bush beans.

You can use organic compost, worm casting, sheep manure, and so on to supply your bush bean plant with extra organic matter.

·         Climate

The ideal temperature to grow bush beans successfully with a great outcome is around 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

For germination to proceed successfully, the soil temperature must be around 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. However, once the soil drops below 80 degrees Fahrenheit when you’re sowing your seeds, the seeds may rot in the ground even before they have the chance to germinate.

Therefore, if the weather in your area is cool, do well to wait until the temperature warms up before sowing your seeds.

·         Watering

Bush beans need good drainage and they also require constant moisture. Hence, maintain moist soil and not waterlogged or soggy soil.

How Far Apart To Plant Bush Beans: Final Thoughts

Bush beans are great vegetables to add to your garden collections and you will enjoy lots of benefits from them. They are easy to grow and they offer abundant harvest.

How far apart to plant bush beans is an important factor to put into consideration so you can enjoy the full growing benefits this plant has to offer.  We have talked about the spacing of bush beans in this post so do well to follow our guidelines on this.

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