Green beans are just the thing to kick off your spring gardening! They’re super easy to grow with kids as they love seeing quick results! Beans typically sprout within a week, so the excitement builds fast and before you realise it, you’ll have more beans than you know what to do with. Bush beans, which are perfect for planting in rows or growing in big pots, start giving back in about two months. Climbing beans take a little longer, around three months, but they keep producing for ages and because they grow vertically, they don’t hog garden space. Create a teepee frame made of bamboo or sticks. The beans will climb, and the kids can play in the shaded hideaway as the plants grow. To keep those delicious beans coming, try planting a new batch every month throughout the growing season!
Getting Started
- Beans love warm conditions. They’re happiest when the temperatures are between 18-30°C.
- Get the kids to find a sunny spot that’s sheltered from strong winds. Beans thrive in well-drained soil that’s been boosted with compost and has a pH between 6-7.5. If your soil is acidic, a sprinkle of lime or dolomite will help.
- Planting beans is a breeze! Get the kids to pop the seeds 2-3cm deep into your prepared soil, give them a good watering, and then let the soil dry out before watering again. Bean seeds are quite prone to rot and don’t like sitting in soggy soil. Try Rocky Point Organic Health Garden Soil.
- If it’s looking rainy, start your seeds in multicell punnets indoors – two seeds per cell – get the toddlers to count. Keep them undercover on wet days, and once they sprout (usually in 4-10 days), and you see those first little leaves, you can safely plant them out.
- Bush beans are happy when spaced 10-15cm apart and can be planted in double rows. Climbing beans can be planted a little closer – space them 5-10cm apart and give them something to climb on, like a trellis, a rustic teepee, or even a few wires up a fence. Make sure you set up the support before planting to avoid disturbing the roots later.
Growing Tips
- As your beans start growing, get the kids to give them more water, but be careful not to get the leaves wet. Wet leaves can lead to mildew.
- Add a layer of sugar cane mulch around your beans to keep the soil moist and the roots nice and cool. It’ll help to inhibit weeds, too.
- Every couple of weeks, treat your beans to some liquid fertiliser. A mix of diluted seaweed extract and fish emulsion is perfect.
- Climbing beans may need a little nudge in the right direction to find their frame. A few small twigs or a bit of gentle training will do the trick. For bush beans, mound some soil around the base of the stems to help them stand tall against the wind.
Pest Patrol
- Keep an eye out for spider mites and whiteflies, especially in hot weather. These pesky critters can suck the life out of your plants if you’re not careful. Check the leaves regularly, and if you see any trouble, give the undersides of the leaves a good spray with some soapy water once a week.
Harvest Time
- As soon as you see flowers, get the kids to start checking your plants every few days. Pick the pods when they’re almost full-sized but still tender and flexible. That’s when they’re at their yummiest!
Tips for Container Growing
- Low-growing bush beans are perfect for growing in pots on a protected balcony or courtyard, but you can also grow climbers trained on a trellis or railing.
- Wide, shallow containers like half-wine barrels or large troughs are perfect for beans.
- Use Pot Perfection with some fertiliser already in it or add your own for an extra boost.
- Potted beans need a bit more attention when it comes to watering. Keep them hydrated, especially when they start flowering. If the top 5-7 cm of mix feels dry, it’s time for a drink! But remember, beans hate sitting in water, so make sure their saucer is always drained.
- Fun kid activity: get the kids to decorate their pot to personalise it. Then get them to create a journal of their observation.
