How Do Beans Grow in Different Types of Soil?

Nitrogen

• While bean plants require a balance of nutrients, too much nitrogen in the soil can cause the plant to focus on growing strong healthy leaves while neglecting the formation of seed pods. The average backyard garden does not require additional flushes of heavy nitrogen fertilizer.

Sandy Soil

• Sandy and light soils may lose vital nutrients after heavy rains. This can cause poor flowering and pod set. Gardeners can correct for nutrient-leaching downpours by fertilizing with ammonium nitrate.

Temperature

• Beans prefer soil temperatures above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Below this temperature, bean plants may not germinate or may rot in the ground. Warmer soil protects young plants from vulnerability to disease.

Moisture

• Extremes in soil moisture can cause diverse growth problems for bean plants. Excessively dry or wet soil can cause flowers and seed pods to drop. Malformed seed pods may form, in which only the first few beans develop.