How to Raise Pole Beans

Prepare the soil about two weeks before you're ready to plant the pole beans; that will give the soil time to settle. Hoe out weeds. Remove dirt clods and stones with a rake. Add several shovelfuls of compost or manure to the top of the soil; work it into the top of the soil with a rake.

Plan to sow pole beans in springtime after frosty nights have passed and days have warmed to at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Beans need warmth to germinate and grow; planting them earlier will accomplish nothing.

Plant the beans in rows about 2 feet apart. Plant them an inch deep in the soil, leaving about 3 inches between each bean. Drive a stake into the ground every 3 to 4 feet for the vines to climb on. You can also plant the beans in small mounds, with 3 to 4 beans in each mound; drive a stake into the ground next to each hill to support the vines as they grow. If you have space next to a building or a tall fence, you can plant beans there and provide string or mesh as support for the beans.

Water the beans once per week during the growing season, increasing the watering to twice per week or more during hot weather. Spread some mulch--such as straw or peat moss--around the seedlings to conserve moisture, but be sure not to pile the mulch directly on the seedlings. That's because seedlings can burn in hot weather. Hoe out weeds as they grow, but be careful because hoeing too close will damage the plant's shallow roots.

Harvest beans when they are still smooth and firm. Be sure to do so before they get plump. If you wait until the pods are too large, the beans will be tough and stringy. Pick beans every day or two to encourage the vines to keep producing.