How to Grow Green Beans in a Raised Bed

Green beans are a popular food used in a myriad of dishes from casseroles to soups to an accompaniment to many meat and chicken dishes. By learning to grow green beans in a raised bed, you can grow your own and save lots of money! Green beans are easy to grow, especially in a raised bed. How to grow green beans in a raised bed:

raised bed

green bean seeds

water

garden gloves (optional)

Plant green bean seeds directly into the raised bed. Bush beans work best in a raised bed for maximum use of space. Plant seeds 9 per square foot. This would mean planting green beans about four inches apart. For a four foot by four foot raised bed, this would be 144 seeds. Consider your family's needs when planting green beans in a raised bed.

Keep the soil evenly moist while seeds are germinating. If the soil dries out, the seeds will not germinate. If the soil is too wet, the seeds will become moldy. The good news about raised bed gardening is that typically raised beds provide better drainage than the traditional garden if soil has been properly mixed (for mixing requirements, see "How to Make a Raised Bed in the Garden" resources, below).

Care for green bean plants while growing by ensuring the plants get enough water- an average of one inch per week. Also be sure to pull any weeds that may come up. Another good thing about a raised bed garden is that typically plants grown tend to shade out weeds, so as plants get bigger, weeds shouldn't be as much of a problem.

Harvest the green beans about 60 days after the plants sprout. Recommended varieties include Blue Lake bush bean, which continues to create bean pods after the first ones are harvested, and Derby green beans, which are very prolific. Depending upon the variety of green bean grown in a raised bed, expect between 4 and 7 pounds of beans produced per four foot by four foot raised bed.