Slowly but surely, I am fast becoming a ‘beans’ person. Just take look at the number of posts on this blog alone. From how to grow cannellini beans, to how to grow grandpa’s pole beans and even how to grow pinto beans. Having said that, please allow me to share how to grow butter beans, in today’s blog post.
Their scientific name is Phaseolus lunatus, which also encompasses the popular Lima beans. When it comes to differentiating between the two they tend to use the term “butter bean” for the large, flat and yellow/white variety of lima bean. You will find both bush and pole varieties, available for you to grow in your garden such as Henderson, Eastlea, Carolina and Willow Leaf.
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Here’s What You’ll Need:
- butter beans
- mulch
- fish emulsion (optional)
- organic fertilizer (optional)
- trellis (optional)
Butter beans are sensitive to cold temperatures, therefore if you are direct sowing them outside make sure that you plant after the last frost date. They prefer well drained, slightly acidic soil and plenty of sunshine. Plant them at least an inch deep, about 4 inches apart in row spacing and rows at least 2 feet apart. Germination will take place within 8 to 10 days.
Since beans tend to fix their own nitrogen, fertilizer is generally not required. Also when watering them it is recommended that you avoid wetting the leaves in order to prevent fungus growth. Keep any eye out for leaf mold. They should be ready for harvest within 60 to 80 days depending on the variety. You can choose to harvest them as snap, shell or dry beans.
You can get more information on the Heirloom Organics blog, here…
You can watch the video below on From the Ground Up – Growing Butter Beans…
You can watch the video below on Growing Butterbeans…
You can watch the video below on Vegetable Gardening : How to Grow Butter Beans…
