How to Grow Dwarf Beans on a Trellis

Clear a spot in your garden that gets about 6 hours of full sunlight every day. Cultivate the soil with a garden fork to a depth of about 8 inches. Spread a 3-inch layer of compost or peat moss over the soil and blend it in with the garden fork.

Gather the soil up into small hills that are about 3 to 4 inches tall with a hoe. Leave about 6 inches of space between each hill. Install a short trellis, about 3 feet tall, next to each hill.

Create three holes that are each 1 inch deep and about 3 inches apart on each hill. Plant a single bean seed in each hole and cover with soil. Water the beans generously until the soil is just moist. Water the soil daily to keep it moist, but not soggy -- do not waterlog the seeds. Reduce watering frequency to once or twice a week once the plants sprout.

Remove the weakest-looking bean plant from each hill when the plants are about 2 to 3 inches tall. Repeat when the remaining two plants are about 5 inches tall. This ensures that each hill has the strongest bean plant possible. Weave the bean plants onto their respective trellises to help train them.

Feed the bean plants with a potassium-rich fertilizer that is low in nitrogen. Most bean plants produce their own nitrogen, so adding more nitrogen to the soil will hinder, rather than help, the plants' growth. Apply the fertilizer once ever two to three weeks during the growing season. Follow the instructions on the packaging for information on specific amounts to use.