How Will Chemical Fertilizer Affect the Growth of a Bean Plant?

Soil

• Gardeners should always plant their beans in well-worked soil that contains plenty of organic matter. Organic compost provides long-term nutrition for bean plant growth, and helps maintain moisture in the soil.

Starter Fertilizer

• Beans should start with slightly acidic soil and a starter or balanced fertilizer. Starter fertilizers contain phosphorous, which aids in root development, while balanced fertilizers like 5-10-10 help the plant grow foliage efficiently. Both the University of Missouri Extension and Purdue University recommend against using nitrogen-heavy fertilizers at the start of growth, because these will promote lush vegetation but result in poor fruit production.

Maintenance

• Purdue University recommends maintenance fertilizer for beans only if the garden experiences heavy rainfall, which may wash nutrients out of soil. In that case, the university recommends reserved feedings with ammonium nitrate (33-0-0), which will help the bean plants bloom and ripen their fruit.