How to Grow French Bean
Phaseolus vulgaris
When to Start
Start seeds indoors 6 weeks before your last frost date. Transplant outdoors once night temperatures stay above 10°C and soil has warmed to at least 10.5°C.
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Growth Stages
Approximate days from start
Care Essentials
- Rarely needed — beans fix nitrogen. Liquid feed once pods start forming if growth is slow.
- Dwarf types are easiest. Climbing types give heavier crops over a longer season.
Companion Planting
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Growing Conditions
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- Direct sow
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Spacing & Planting
| Plant spacing | 12 cm |
| Row spacing | 35 cm |
| Sow depth | 5 cm |
| Mature height | 45 cm |
| Mature spread | 30 cm |
Refers to bush bean varieties. Pole bean varieties should be spaced about 10 cm apart at the base of a support structure.
Care Guide
- Feeding
- Rarely needed — beans fix nitrogen. Liquid feed once pods start forming if growth is slow.
- Watch for
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- Slugs on young plants
- Blackfly
- Halo blight
- Bean seed fly
Pests & Diseases
Pest Black Bean Aphid
Identification: Colonies of small black insects on shoot tips and undersides of leaves
- Fatty acid sprays
- Encourage natural predators
- Water jet removal
- Check harvest intervals for edible crops
Pest Slugs and Snails
Identification: Seedlings eaten to ground level overnight or with large irregular holes; slime trails around plants
- Protect transplants with cloches or copper tape barriers
- Apply organic slug pellets (ferric phosphate)
- Encourage hedgehogs, frogs and ground beetles
- Ferric phosphate-based pellets
Pest Bean Seed Fly
Identification: Seeds fail to emerge or seedlings are stunted and distorted; small white maggots found in seeds or stems at soil level
- Start seeds in modules indoors to avoid the vulnerable germination stage in open soil
- Avoid sowing into freshly manured ground which attracts egg-laying flies
- No chemical controls available for home gardeners
Disease Halo Blight Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola
Symptoms: Dark spots surrounded by a yellow halo on leaves; water-soaked lesions on pods that ooze in wet weather
Treatment: Remove and destroy affected plants. Do not save seed from infected crops
Prevention: Use certified disease-free seed, rotate crops on a 3-year cycle, and avoid working among wet plants
Disease Bean Rust Uromyces appendiculatus
Symptoms: Small, dark brown raised pustules on leaf undersides, with corresponding yellow spots on upper surfaces. Severe infections cause leaf drop and reduced yields.
Treatment: Remove and destroy affected leaves. Improve air circulation between plants.
Prevention: Avoid overhead watering. Space plants well. Rotate crops annually. Choose resistant varieties where available.
Disease Grey Mould (Botrytis) Botrytis cinerea
Symptoms: Fuzzy grey mould on pods, stems and flowers, often starting on damaged tissue or spent flowers
Treatment: Remove and destroy affected parts promptly. Improve ventilation around plants
Prevention: Avoid overcrowding, pick pods regularly, and water at soil level rather than overhead
Growing Conditions
| Min. soil temperature | 10.5°C |
| Germination temperature | 15–25°C |
| Base growth temperature | 10°C |
| Min. daylength to start | 10h |
| Photoperiod sensitivity | day neutral |
Frequently Asked Questions
- How far apart should I plant French Bean?
- Plant French Bean 12cm apart with 35cm between rows.
- Is French Bean frost hardy?
- French Bean is classified as Tender.
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