How to Pick Green Beans

Green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), also referred to as snap beans, are prized for their fast growth and crisp, flavorful pods. The plants typically don't require a lot of maintenance. Accurate timing and proper picking, however, is critical to ensure the largest harvest and to protect the bean plants from damage during harvesting.

While the pods are the same, green beans can be split into two categories: pole beans and bush beans. Bush beans are short, dwarf varieties that are self-supporting. Pole beans, as their name suggests, grow twisted vines that need a trellis or pole to help support their vertical growth.

When it comes to harvesting, bush bean varieties tend to produce most of their pods all at once. This makes them ideal if a large quantity of beans is needed quickly, such as for canning or freezing. Pole bean varieties produce their pods more slowly but also more continuously, making them ideal for individuals, small families or people who don't want a large amount of pods at once. Finally, some people find that picking the green beans off of pole bean varieties is easier because the plants grow taller and don't require the gardener to bend or stoop down.

Most cultivars of green beans mature and become ready for harvest approximately two months after germination. On a calendar, note the date that you first notice the green beans breaking the surface of the soil. Closely monitor the plants once they approach the 60-day mark. In general, it takes bush green beans less time to mature than pole green beans.

Each green bean pod's appearance is an important indicator of its ripeness and readiness to be picked. Inspect pods daily. The ideal green bean pod should be thin and smooth, similar in size and shape to a pencil. Once the individual beans bulge inside the pod and can be seen or felt, the pod is too ripe. If you wait this long to harvest a green bean, it will be stringy, tough and inedible.

Never yank or pull the green bean pods off the plant. The constant tugging can break or injure the plant itself and decrease overall harvest rates. Instead, wipe a pair of pruning shears or scissors with rubbing alcohol to sterilize it, then cut off each green bean pod from the plant. Alternatively, pinch the pod off of the plant using the fingernails on your thumb and forefinger.

Constant harvesting encourages the green bean plant to produce more pods. This results in a bigger overall harvest. Pick beans continuously as soon as each pod is ready.

Place fresh, unwashed, dry green bean pods into a plastic bag and store the bag in the crisper drawer in a refrigerator. Green beans can be stored for up to three days, but they taste and look their best when enjoyed the same day that they were picked.

Never wash the bean pods before storing them. Wet beans lose their quality rapidly and often grow black mold spots, even when kept in a refrigerator.