Watering Green Beans Made Easy!

When it comes to watering green beans, moderation is the key. Green bean plants only need 1/2 inch of water per week to thrive and produce high quality and quantities of green beans.  In many cases, you'll get enough rain so that you won't have to water.

Watering Green Beans

When watering your bean plants, try to avoid watering the tops of the plants. Instead, focus your efforts on the root systems. This will allow the plants to absorb the most moisture. You should water in the early morning hours. This lets the mid-day sun evaporate any unused water. If water sits on the tops of the plants for extended periods of time, it may encourage mildew to develop on the leaves and pods. If no rain falls, a deep soak once a week should be sufficient. If the plant does not receive adequate water, it may cause the blossoms to drop off the plant. No blossoms mean no green beans, so an adequate water supply is necessary for the plants to thrive.

Fertilizing Green Beans

Green bean plants can be fertilized once a month throughout the growing season, if so desired. A 10-10-10 fertilizer will usually do the job nicely. Most granular fertilizers are applied at 1 1/2 pounds per 100 square feet. Apply the granules according to the manufacturer's instructions. They should be applied at the edges of the rows and not thrown directly on the plants themselves. Once a granular fertilizer is applied, water it in well. This will allow the fertilizer to enter the soil and be absorbed by the root systems.

If you choose to use a water soluble type fertilizer, apply it according to the manufacturer's directions. A hose end sprayer is convenient for applying water soluble fertilizer.

In our garden, we apply a granule fertilizer a few days before we plant.  We water it in, wait a couple of days and then till and plant.  Then, we switch to a water soluble fertilizer and apply that about once a month during the growing season.

A layer of mulch can be applied to the green bean plants to help regulate soil moisture and temperature levels. Grass clippings, chopped up leaves or hay work well for mulch. Additionally, mulch will help prevent the growth of weeds in your garden.

After fertilizing, mulching and watering green beans, the only thing left to do is harvest them.

Click here to learn about harvesting green beans

Click here for green bean recipe ideas

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