Beans aren’t just good for the heart, they’re good for your vegetable patch! In addition to their excellent nutritional benefits, bean plants actually fertilise your patch for next season’s crop. Suttons a wide variety of bean plants including runner beans, climbing french beans, broad bean plants and climbing varieties.
Top bean plant care facts
- Great for vegetable patches and containers
- Will require staking
- Prefer a sunny position with shelter from high winds
- Bushy growth can be encouraged by pinching out
- Need a well-draining soil
Where to grow bean plants
Most beans are happy either in the veg patch or grown in containers. The key points to remember are to not to let them dry out and to give them support. Plant supports such as canes, twigs, trellis, netting or even a wall to clamber up will mean your bean plants take up very little space - perfect for compact or balcony gardens.
How to grow bean plants
This depends on the individual variety, although in general, all beans prefer an open, sunny position with shelter from strong winds. As part of your annual crop rotation, pick a patch where you haven’t grown bean plants before. They can be happy in the spot where you grew potatoes last year. Bean plants tend to prefer well-draining soil.
Pinching out the tops of your bean plants will encourage bushy growth, and may stimulate early bean production and, in some cases, flowering.
When to harvest bean plants
Again, this depends on the individual variety of beans.
How to eat beans
An excellent source of protein for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike, beans can be used as a base or an addition to many dishes. Boil or steam and eat as a side veg, eat raw in salads, add to soups and stews, turn into hummus, add to a risotto, and much more! There really is an endless list of ways to eat this wonderful range of beans.
Beans nutritional value
There are many varieties of beans that you can grow, and the nutritional value of each variety varies. However, beans generally have lots of fibre and protein, which makes them excellent for those with plant-based dietary needs.
You may also be interested in Suttons bean seeds such as Runner Bean Seeds and Broad Bean Seeds. If you’re growing with children, you may also want to take a look at our collection of fun to grow seeds for kids.
Buy Bean plants online from Suttons
