Different Kinds of Planting Soils for Beans

Small Gardens

• When planting beans in small gardens, basic garden soil with no lime addition is usually best, as excessive amounts of lime can injure the beans when they begin to grow and stunt the plant's growth. Snap beans and lima beans are best for small gardens as they will produce far more edible beans then navy and kidney beans. No fertilization is required beyond manure or other organic fertilizers.

Weather and Location

• Many beans will not grow in excessively cold weather, like in the North or Northeastern parts of the United States--at least not until the soil has become warm enough. Wait until the late spring to plant beans and grow them into the middle of the fall. In the South or Southwestern part of the United States, beans can be grown almost year round, except for the dead of winter. Heavy textured soils in warmer conditions may bake the beans in the ground and hinder their growth; plant them 1 inch deep in heavy soil, or 1 1/2 inches deep in sandy soils.

Heavy Soils

• When planting beans in heavy soils, plant the beans near the surface and cover them with a non-baking material like sand, leaf-mold or peat moss. Keep the ground wet but not too moist for the first few days after planting. Avoid excessive fertilizer with high nitrogen contents. Instead, apply fertilizer that is rich in phosphoric acid to help spurn bean growth in these heavier soils.