Green Beans are a favorite crop to grow in almost any vegetable garden. They are easy to germinate, easy to grow, and taste great. Pole beans can be easily grown in a container as well. Here is a step-by-step how to:
1. Fill large container 80% full with high quality soil.
2. Wet soil until all soil is damp
3. Sow each seed 5-8” apart
4. After germination put bamboo stakes (or other material) stakes inside container
5. Allow to grow up stakes
6. When plant starts to bloom fertilize with 10-20-10 fertilizer
7. Harvest often
1. Fill large container 80% full with high quality soil. Pick a wide container; it does not have to be very deep, as green beans do not send out deep roots. They like a fertile well-drained soil. When planting in a container it is good to use a mixture of compost, peat moss and vermiculite in even quantities. If you are using soil from your existing garden make sure not to use soil that that has recently had beans, peas, potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage or lettuce planted in it.
2. Wet soil until all soil is damp While beans germinate quite easily, they do require a fair amount of moisture to do so. Making sure the soil is evenly damp throughout will encourage faster germination. Keep soil evenly damp until germination.
3. Sow each seed 5-8” apart Each seed should be sown about 5-8” apart. This will give them enough space to spread out their roots. The vines are not very wide, but ample room should be provided for the roots to spread.
4. After germination put bamboo stakes (or other material) stakes inside container Once the seeds have germinated the plants will grow fairly rapidly. Pole beans will need something to climb so it is time to put bamboo stakes next to each seedling. These stakes should be about 5-6’ tall.
5. Allow to grow up stakes The plants should naturally find the stakes and start to grow up them. From time to time the plants will require some training. Simply take the plant that cannot find its stake and gently wrap it around it once or twice. In a day or so it should be growing right up it!
6. When plant starts to bloom fertilize with 10-20-10 fertilizer Once the plant starts to bloom it will start to suck up more and more nutrients. Fertilize the plant with a high quality 10-20-10 fertilizer according to the fertilizers directions. Continue to do so, at the frequency recommended by the fertilizer bag, until the growing season is over.
7. Harvest often Green Beans are ready for harvest once they are about the width of a pencil. Harvesting green beans often will cause the plant to set even more fruit. So harvest often
! 
8. Eat and Enjoy
Helpful Recipe: How to Cook Fresh Green Beans
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Related posts:
- How to Grow Cowpeas in a Container
- Pole Beans – Vegetable Profile
- Green Beans Nearing Harvest
- How To Cook Fresh Green Beans
- Kentucky Wonder Green Beans Setting Fruit
RSS
TWITTER
July 16th, 2009 at 1:59 am
I have been using a similar technique for the last few years! It works great!
Reply
July 16th, 2009 at 2:00 am
@proudtexan
I does work well, and makes them portable to move if needed!
Reply
July 16th, 2009 at 2:00 am
I have also been doing this. I use the purple podded variety. Gotta love it..
Reply
July 16th, 2009 at 2:02 am
@mike,
Great to hear! The purple podded pole beans are on my wish list for next season. I hear they cook up green, just like Kentucky Wonder but are bright purple while on the vine making them easy to find.
Reply
October 6th, 2009 at 8:00 am
I have planted my whole garden in containers in zone 9. I’ve always grown my tomatoes in large pots and they do great and so after battling nematodes the past two growing seasons I decided to cover my garden with clear plastic and plant everything in containers. I also grew potatoes in growing bins and did fine with Youkon Gold and some great sweet potatoes. They did very well last season so am doing it again. I already have brush beans and cucumbers. Loads of bloom on almost everything I’ve planted.
If this works as well as it looks it is going to I may always plant in pots. I’ve never had a garden produce so soon after planting. I do water with rain water that I catch in barrels. I will fertilize this coming week with 10-10-10. It is a cool way to garden . No weeds and less water used. Don’t over water is my only warning. I also have lots of herbs growing and doing well.
I’m hoping the plastic will help cook the bugs out of the garden. I don’t use any chemicals of any sort.
Reply
October 11th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
@Bev Stone,
Sounds very interesting! An entire garden of containers! I would love to see some pictures of that!
What type of bins did you use to grow your potatoes in?
Reply