What is the best time to plant green beans?
Green bean is another name for the common bean, also known as: kidney bean, haricot bean, snap bean, sword bean, etc. It is an annual herbaceous plant and one of the common vegetables on the dining table. Green beans can be planted in both spring and autumn, and are deeply loved by growers, widely cultivated in both northern and southern China.
Planting time for green beans
February to April (autumn sowing can also be done in August to September). The specific spring sowing periods are: late April to mid-May in Northeast China; April in most of Northwest and North China, early May in the northern plateau region; late March to early April in East China; late February to early March in most of Central and Southwest China; late January to early February in Yunnan; December to April of the following year in South China. Autumn sowing: early July to August in North and Northwest China; late July to early August in Central China; late July to early September in East China; early August in Southwest China; late August to October in South China.
Growing environment for green beans
1. Temperature: The common bean prefers warmth and is not tolerant of frost. The temperature range for seed germination is 20-30°C; below 10°C or above 40°C, germination cannot occur. Seedlings are sensitive to temperature changes; short-term exposure to 2-3°C low temperatures causes them to begin losing green color, and 0°C causes frost damage.
2. Light: It is a short-day plant, but different varieties respond differently to the photoperiod, and can be divided into 3 types: first, photoperiod-sensitive type; second, photoperiod-insensitive type; third, photoperiod-moderately sensitive type.
3. Water: The common bean has a well-developed root system with many lateral roots, and is relatively drought-tolerant but not waterlogging-tolerant. Seeds need to absorb enough water to germinate, but too much water causes soil oxygen deficiency, and the seeds easily rot. The suitable field water-holding capacity during the plant growth period is 60-70% of the maximum water-holding capacity; the flowering period has strict water requirements, and the suitable relative air humidity is 65-80%.
4. Soil and nutrition: The common bean is best cultivated in soil with deep, loose, humus-rich and well-drained layers. Sandy loam, loam and general clay soil can all support growth, but it should not be cultivated in low-lying wet land or heavy clay. The suitable pH is 6-7. It should not be too acidic or too alkaline. The common bean absorbs a lot of nitrogen and potassium, and less phosphorus. It also needs a certain amount of calcium fertilizer.
Planting time for different varieties of green beans
1. Dwarf common bean: late February, raise seedlings in cold-frame nutrient pots, using 3.5 kg of seed per mu. Plant out in early April: bed width 1 m, trench width 50 cm, plant 2 rows per bed, hill spacing 23 cm, with 2—4 plants per hill. Harvest from late May to mid- and late June, with a yield of 750—1000 kg per mu.
2. Pole common bean: early March, varieties such as “Fengshou No. 1” and “Xining common bean”, sow and raise seedlings in cold-frame nutrient pots, using 2.5—3 kg of seed per mu. In late March, plant out under small plastic arch shelters, row spacing 66 cm, hill spacing 26 cm, with 2 plants per hill. Harvest from mid-May to mid-June, with a yield of more than 1500 kg per mu.