Bean Plant Facts

Growth and Care

• Bean plants are popular with gardeners as they mature quickly, giving a harvest sooner than many other vegetables. Many beans can be harvested four to six weeks after the seeds are sown. Plentiful sunlight and water are the two most important factors in growing bean plants. Temperature is also important, as frost can kill beans, making mid-spring and summer the best times for sowing seeds in most regions. When temperatures are above 55 degrees F, it's time to plant beans.

Foliage

• The bean plant can grow in two ways: either as a twining vine called a pole bean or as a shrub-type plant, known as a bush bean. The leaves of the bean plant are divided into three leaflets, which can be oval or heart-shaped. The leaves are dark green and have a rough texture. The flowers of the bean plant are asymmetrical and colored pink, purple or white.

Seeds

• The seeds sprout when water is added. Some bean plant seeds are grown to sprout and then be harvested for consumption as bean sprouts. Each variety of bean sprouts at a different rate, some sprout as quickly as three or four days after water is added.

Harvesting

• The snap bean is ready for harvesting when the beans snap and contain underdeveloped seeds. Once the seeds are fully formed, snap beans are beyond harvesting. Other bean varieties are allowed to mature. Regular harvesting will produce a higher volume of beans, for the greatest rewards harvest beans every three or four days.

Beans

• When harvested, the beans of the common bean plant must be boiled for at least 10 minutes to breaks up a potentially dangerous toxin called lectin (phytohemagglutinin). Beans are usually prepared by boiling. Soaking the beans in water before boiling can drastically reduce cooking times. Beans provide a variety of nutrients, including protein, starch, fiber and a variety of vitamins and minerals.

Varieties

• There are a number of varieties of the common bean, the most popular of these include pinto beans, navy beans, kidney beans, black beans, green beans and lima beans. Bean varieties tend to be specific to cultures and countries, for example, the flageolet bean is popular in French cuisine.