How to grow beans outdoors

Beans do not require careful care and are highly resistant to insect pests and infectious diseases. In arid climates, water once every 4-5 days, fertilize 2-3 times per season. A developed root system prevents weeds from developing, and nodule bacteria enrich the soil with nitrogen. To plant a crop, it is only important to prepare the seeds and loosen the soil. From the article you will learn about growing and caring for beans in open ground.

How to plant beans with seeds in open ground

Planting beans in the garden solves several problems at the same time:

• enriches the soil with nitrogen;
• loosens the soil;
• prevents the growth of weeds and washing out of the top layers of soil by rain;
• provides a rich harvest of high-calorie beans.

To achieve your goals, prepare the seeds and place for planting legume, take into account the subtleties of agricultural technology.

Preparing seeds at home

It is recommended to manually inspect each seed for damage and deformation. To sprout beans, you will need 2 pieces of cloth moistened with water. The seed is spread evenly on the first, and the second is covered on top.

Attention! The fabric should be slightly damp. Under no circumstances should you take wet rags from which you can squeeze out a lot of water. Excess moisture will cause the seeds to rot.

An alternative method of germination is to place the seed in a container with water for 5-6 hours or in a growth stimulator for 4 hours.

Fertile land for growing beans

To cultivate beans, slightly acidic, neutral or alkaline soil is required. Plants can survive even on poor soil, but in this case the summer resident will receive a meager harvest. The root system of beans contains nodule bacteria that produce nitrogen. The latter enriches the soil, stimulating the growth and development of plants.

It is not recommended to plant seeds in cold or waterlogged soil - there is a risk that the seed will rot. Before planting legumes in September or October, dig up the soil.

The acidity level in the soil is controlled using lime. Before planting beans, it is recommended not only to loosen poor soil, but also to add organic fertilizer or wood ash to it. If the plant is planned to be grown in an arid region, the seedlings are watered, but not too much.

How to Plant Beans

Seeds are planted in early November. Residents of northern regions, where frosts occur earlier, are advised to choose frost-resistant varieties.

These include:

• Windsor;
• Amber;
• Russian black beans.

Depending on the variety and height of the adult plant, the planting pattern differs. Dwarf beans are planted using the 20x20 cm technology. For taller plants, a different scheme is provided - the crop is planted more closely, at a distance of 10 cm from each other. A distance of 40 cm is maintained between the rows. Planting depth is up to 7 cm.

Reference! If the climate in the region is cold and rainy, it is better not to plant legumes directly in open ground, but to grow seedlings in a greenhouse. In this case, the seed is distributed into small pots at the end of December. The grown seedlings are transplanted into the garden bed in March.

When planting seeds in open ground, no fertilizing is required.Nodule bacteria and nutrients remaining in the substrate after the predecessor culture provide the beans with everything necessary for normal growth. If planting is done in the spring, then 2 weeks before the start of work the soil is enriched with mineral fertilizers at the rate of 70-90 g per 1 m².

Growing and caring for beans

To grow a rich harvest, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the basic rules for planting legumes:

1. Plants cannot tolerate excess moisture in the soil and quickly die due to rotting of the root system. In regions with a rainy climate, the problem is solved by creating a special bed. It is made from sandy soil that does not retain moisture.
2. The area where the beans grow must be equipped with a drainage system.
3. When growing beans, the rules of crop rotation are observed. Areas where potatoes, cabbage, cucumbers, and tomatoes used to grow are suitable.

Watering

Beans are a drought-resistant crop that does not require abundant and frequent watering. The soil is moistened during the period of flowering and ovary formation, since at this time a lack of moisture can reduce the quality and volume of the harvest.

If during the growing season there has been no rain for a long time, the plants are watered with 10 liters of water per 1 m², but no more than 2 times a week.

Important! An excess of moisture will lead not only to rotting of the root system, but also to the active growth of green mass. In this case, the plants will not bloom.

Loosening and weeding

Loosening and weeding of the soil is carried out as necessary. A highly branched root system prevents weeds from germinating. If weeds appear, remove them by hand. When loosening with a rake, be careful not to damage the roots. They are located at shallow depths.

Garter shoots

Only tall varieties need a garter; dwarf beans do not need it. Wooden pegs are used as support. The erect, branched stems of the plant reach a length of more than 1 m. Each plant is tied to a separate support at least 100 cm high or to a rope stretched between pegs.

Feeding and fertilizers

Before planting the seeds, apply organic fertilizer: leaf humus, compost, wood ash. It is recommended to feed legumes 2-3 times per season:

• before planting in the ground (optional);
• during the growing season;
• during the formation of the ovary.

It is prohibited to use nitrogen-containing fertilizers in large quantities. This will lead to a decrease in harvest volume or death of the plant. It is recommended to apply fertilizers containing minerals such as potassium or phosphorus.

Pest protection

The legume crop is highly resistant to diseases and pests. Nodule bacteria on the root system of plants emit a specific odor that repels most insects, but there are species that ignore it and attack the crop. These include:

1. Black bean aphid. Insects attack young plants in summer. The colony is predominantly located on the top of the beans, which leads to deformation and bending of the stem. During the growing season, the tops of plants 15 cm high are pinched to prevent the appearance of aphids. Fitoverm and Karbofos are used as a preventive measure.
2. Nodule weevil. Small gray beetles destroy the entire plant. Pest larvae feed on root nodules. Adults eat foliage, as a result, immunity decreases and photosynthesis of the plant slows down. Over time it dies.If a weevil is detected, the beans are treated with a dust solution at the rate of 10 g per 1 m².
3. Sprout fly. Adults lay eggs in the upper layers of soil under the beans. After hatching, the larvae begin to actively eat the root system of the plant. To prevent the appearance of pests, it is necessary to regularly remove weeds and loosen the soil. The larvae hide in organic debris and quickly die on the surface.
4. Bean grain. The insect causes harm to the legume crop during the flowering period, when the ovary is formed. The weevil lays eggs on young shoots. After a few days, the hatched larvae eat the seeds, which reduces the quality and volume of the harvest. The larvae can overwinter in seeds intended for spring planting. To prevent subsequent infection, the seeds of plants that have been attacked by the weevil are pre-soaked in a saline solution.

Under unfavorable growing conditions, the following diseases develop:

1. Blackleg. A dark spot forms on the root collar. Pathogenic bacteria use nutrients from the plant sap, which disrupts the connection between the above-ground and root parts of the crop. As a result, the beans quickly die. Infection occurs through the soil. If a plant affected by blackleg is found, it is removed from the garden bed and burned. The soil is treated with chemicals.
2. Chocolate spot. Dark brown formations appear on the leaves and stem of the beans. Affected foliage is removed to prevent the disease from spreading throughout the plant. Treatment with chemical and biological agents is not required.

In addition to insects and infectious diseases, crows and rooks cause significant damage to legumes.Birds pull out young plants along with their roots. For protection, breathable covering material (spunbond, lutrasil, agrospan) is used.

Rules and secrets of growing

There are the following rules and subtleties of agricultural technology when growing legumes:

1. During the flowering period, it is important to pinch the plants, removing the tops of the main stems. This is necessary not only to prevent bean aphid attacks, but also to shorten the growing season.
2. To ensure a large harvest volume, pollinating insects are attracted to the site. To do this, plants are sprayed with sugar syrup: 1 tbsp. l. sugar is dissolved in 1 liter of water.
3. Legumes bear fruit several times per season. Therefore, seeds are planted in 2-3 stages: at the end of spring, at the beginning and middle of summer. This practice is only suitable for early ripening varieties.
4. In dry weather, watering is carried out once every 4-5 days. After each moistening, the soil is loosened and weeds are removed. During secondary weeding, the bushes are hilled. It is stopped when the leaves cover the distance between the rows and the plants grow to 45-60 cm in height.
5. To control pests, white mustard or red hot peppers are planted between the rows of beans.

Is it possible to plant beans with potatoes?

You can plant beans with potato bushes - the plants enter into symbiosis, repelling insect pests: the Colorado potato beetle, weevil and sprout fly. Nodule bacteria enrich the soil with nitrogen, and potato leaves protect the beans from wind and frost.

How to grow potatoes and beans in the same hole and why to do it

If you grow these crops in one bed, then:

1. The volume of legume harvest increases both at the stage of milky ripeness and mature, darkened pods.
2. Plant symbiosis increases their protection against pests.The beans protect against wireworms and the Colorado potato beetle.
3. Potatoes do not deplete the soil due to nodule bacteria on legumes. The root system of the latter prevents weeds from growing.

It is not recommended to grow both plants in the same hole. Tall bean stalks will over time shade the potatoes and rob the bushes of most of the nutrients in the soil. The result will be a bountiful harvest of beans and meager potato tubers.

The best option is to plant legumes and potatoes in one bed or in one row. In this case, the beans are placed between the potatoes. Their number of beans in the garden should be 2-3 times less than potatoes, because they consume more nutrients from the soil.

When using early-ripening potato varieties, legumes are sown as a compactor after the vegetable crop has emerged. While the potato bushes are developing, the legumes will form foliage. After harvesting the tubers, pods will begin to set. This practice allows you to harvest from both crops.

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Harvesting

Legumes produce a bountiful harvest. It is collected up to 3 times per season.

Ripening time

The first harvest begins in the summer. For fresh consumption, green, moisture-saturated beans are needed. Such seeds enter the stage of milky ripeness 2 weeks after the start of flowering.

How beans are harvested

The harvest is harvested first from the lower part of the plant, where the fruits ripen faster.The collection of beans for subsequent propagation is carried out after darkening and opening of the valves. Viable seeds are taken for storage. They are soaked in a salty solution. Empty seeds will float, mature ones will sink. The latter remain viable for 5-10 years. Store the material away from heating devices, in a dry room, protected from sunlight.

Attention! After harvesting, the above-ground part of the plant is cut off and burned to prevent insects from laying eggs in the organic waste. The soil with roots is dug up. The root system of legumes is necessary to fertilize the soil with nitrogen.

Conclusion

Beans are classified as drought-resistant, unpretentious crops. Alkaline and neutral soils are most suitable for them. Nodule bacteria on the root system saturate the soil with nitrogen. The harvest is harvested for storage 3-4 weeks after flowering. Green beans are harvested 2 weeks after the flowers appear.