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Pole Bean
Pole Bean Recipe
Pole type beans come in many varieties, generally bearing over a longer period than bush types. They require trellising, and for that reason generally yield more in the same amount of space. Pole beans are natural climbers but will not interweave themselves through horizontal wires. A teepee tripod support can be made with three wooden poles or large branches that are lashed together at the top. 5-6 seeds are planted in a circle 6-8 inches from each pole. Many types of homemade trellises work well as long as they provide the needed support. Trellises should be 6-8' tall and sturdy enough to withstand strong winds and rain. Interplanting pole beans with corn is often recommended, but practices vary. Beans should be planted late enough to allow some growth and development of the corn first.
Scarlet runner beans are a type of pole bean which is quite ornamental as well as productive and delicious. The vines grow rapidly, producing beautiful red flowers and beans, which may be harvested as snap beans when young and as immature shell beans later. Beans are ready to pick in 75-85 days and several pounds are produced per plant. However, the value of scarlet runner beans is mainly ornamental; the lush 6-15 foot vines can be used to cover arbors, trellises, or fences. An added feature is that the flowers are attractive to hummingbirds. According to some catalogs, the scarlet runner bean grows best in cooler weather than standard beans prefer; in some very hot areas the vines may not keep producing all summer, as they will in cooler regions. Keeping maturing beans picked off will prolong the life of the vines.
Scarlet runner beans are a type of pole bean which is quite ornamental as well as productive and delicious. The vines grow rapidly, producing beautiful red flowers and beans, which may be harvested as snap beans when young and as immature shell beans later. Beans are ready to pick in 75-85 days and several pounds are produced per plant. However, the value of scarlet runner beans is mainly ornamental; the lush 6-15 foot vines can be used to cover arbors, trellises, or fences. An added feature is that the flowers are attractive to hummingbirds. According to some catalogs, the scarlet runner bean grows best in cooler weather than standard beans prefer; in some very hot areas the vines may not keep producing all summer, as they will in cooler regions. Keeping maturing beans picked off will prolong the life of the vines.
About Pole Beans
Most commercial producers grow bush snap bean varieties due to their ease in harvesting. However, many home gardeners prefer the rich flavor of pole beans and grow them in their gardens each year. These easy to grow beans produce a high yield of beans in a small area.
History
History
- Cultivated beans (Phaseolus) originated in Guatemala, but soon spread across both North and South America, as native people cultivated and consumed beans almost as much as maize. When Europeans arrived in the Americas, beans were widely available.
- Originally referred to as string beans, due to the thick string of plant material that grew the length of the bean pod, the 1950s brought new cultivars of bush beans that produced tender beans without the characteristic string. Although still referred to as string beans by many, they adopted the name of snap bean. Yellow beans, commonly referred to as wax beans, also carry the name of string beans in many areas.
- Pole beans come in both green and yellow varieties, although the green is more popular. Pole beans grow to heights of 6 to 9 feet tall and require a trellis. The vines prefer to twist around a base and will not generally climb fences. A pole or stake inserted in the ground provides the ideal base for the bean plant to climb. Many home gardeners prefer to create a teepee from 6 to 8 stakes and plant several bean seeds around the base of each stake. Six to 8 foot poles with a diameter of 2 inches generally provide adequate support and withstand winds. The bean plant climbs the pole with little assistance from the gardener. Specially made beanpole towers are available at gardening supply stores; these consist of a central pole with what resembles the spokes from a small bicycle tire at the top and spokes from a large tire at the bottom. Monofilament strung between the two sets of spokes provides the support for individual bean plants.
- Pole beans mature later than bush beans, but also produce over a longer period with a larger yield of beans. Longer pods provide an abundance of beans over several weeks. Growing beans vertically allows gardeners to grow more beans in less space and makes harvesting by hand easier than harvesting bush beans, as the entire plant is visible making beans easier to locate. The vertical structure allows beans to dry quickly after a summer rain, whereas bush beans must be allowed to dry out before picking to avoid discolored leaves and beans. Harvesting often and removing any mature beans encourages the plant to continue to produce new beans,
- Scarlet runner beans grow to a height of 15 feet and quickly cover an arbor or trellis. The blossoms are bright red and attract hummingbirds. These beans serve primarily as ornamental beans, but are edible. The mature bean produces beans suitable for shell beans. Beans mature in 75 to 85 days.