Printable version of this page (PDF). Search by crop type:

Organic Beans & Soybeans - Growing and Seed Saving Info

PLANTING INFO:
Days to maturity are from direct seeding. Planting depth: 1-2�; Plant spacing: for bush and soy beans 2-3�, for pole beans 6�; Row spacing: for snap bush and soy beans 18-36�, for bush dry beans 28-36�, for pole beans use single or double rows, with 12� between, and 4� center beds with trellis in the middle.

organic beans - growing and seed saving informations

CULTURAL INFO:
Beans are tender annuals that prefer full sun and well drained soils. Direct seed after danger of all frost has passed. Optimal soil temperature for germination is 75-95�F. Beans are particularly sensitive to cool soils and will readily rot if temperatures are below 55�F. White-seeded beans typically do not germinate as well as dark-seeded beans. Harvest early and often to increase yields. Remove oversized beans to maintain pod production. Only handle plants in dry conditions if possible. Inoculants (see Supplies) can increase yields where natural Rhizobia populations are low. Snap and Soy beans can be planted every 2-3 weeks for a continual harvest through mid-summer. Pole beans require trellising for support. Plant in single or double rows, or a circle for a tee pee trellis. Make successive plantings in early and mid summer for a continual harvest. Dry beans are planted once in early summer. Harvest by hand or machine, using either a combine or a stationary thresher. Avoid harvesting moldy pods whenever possible, and make sure beans are completely dry before threshing. Dry further in cool, dry conditions prior to long-term storage. Beans are ready for storage when seed coat can not be dented by fingernail. Store beans in a cool dry place.

DISEASE & PESTS:
To avoid spreading fungal diseases, do not handle plants during wet conditions. Root rot, caused by several different soil-borne fungi, can be prevented by rotating with a cereal or pasture crop and by planting into soil temperatures above 60�F. Root rot is less of a problem where soil is warm and well-drained. Bacterial blights are best prevented by planting only disease-free seed and by fully composting all crops residue. White mold (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum) causes a pod and stem blight and is generally a disease of cool, damp conditions. Wider spacing can allow more aeration between plants and help control the spread of disease. White mold survives in soil and plant debris; therefore infected plants should be removed from the field. Dry beans and soybeans are not as susceptible to white mold as snap beans.

RESISTANCE KEY:
AN-Anthracnose, CBMV-Common Bean Mosaic Virus (races indicated if known), DM-Downy Mildew PMV-Pod Mottle Virus

SEED SPECS:
75-150 (115 avg) sds/oz, 1200-2500 (1850 avg) sds/lb varies greatly between varieties.

SEEDING RATE:
Bush Beans - 800 sds/100� (~ .5lb/100�), 130M sds/acre (~70 lbs/acre) using 8sds/ft, 36� row spacing. Pole Beans - 800 sds/100�(~ .5lb/100�), 96M sds/acre (~52 lbs/acre) using 4 sds/ft, double rows 12� apart on 4� centers. M=1,000 seeds

SEED SAVING INSTRUCTIONS:
Self-pollinated. Beans do not readily cross between varieties so one need not separate different varieties by more than five feet. If crossed, the seed coat of the bean will show variation in its first year due to the maternal dominance of the seed coat genetics (this is similar in corn). When planting, increase row and plant spacing to allow for greater air circulation and space for a mature plant. Pods should be papery and dry when harvested. Harvest by pulling up the entire plant. Windrow in the field or lay on a tarp in a dry place like a barn or greenhouse. When seeds are fully dry they are ready for threshing. Your fingernail should not be able to make an imprint on a fully dry seed. Thresh by flailing, jumping on pods, or shell by hand. Use a �" screen on top of a �" screen to clean the seed. Bean seed can remain viable for up to 4 years under cool and dry storage conditions.