Do You Need to Thin Bush Green Bean Plants?

Thinning Procedure

• Thinning is a key practice in producing pole and stalk beans. As the stalks grow upwards, removing extra foliage and stalks allows the plant to send nutrients to only a single, healthy stalk. Each stalk produces beans on its own, as long as it receives proper care. Grow multiple stalks or poles from a single bean plant results in smaller, slower production.

Thinning Bush Beans

• Unlike their pole- and stalk-growing cousins, bush beans do not need thinning. The plant produces small, horizontal twigs and branches producing beans much like fruit on a tree. Because they are compact and lower to the ground, the nutrients have less space to cover and are more evenly distributed. Bush beans produce a more beans at the same healthy size and faster growing rate than do pole beans. Thinning these plants does little more than remove potentially healthy produce. The only reason for thinning the beans is if they are not spaced properly during the planting stages.

Planting Distances

• Bush beans do not need thinning but do need proper spacing. These bushes are much wider than the single pole or stalk of their bean cousins, and they need room to spread and produce healthy bean pods. When planting bush snap beans, sow six beans per foot of planting space. Not all will germinate, so you have healthy, well-spaced bushes. For Lima beans, plant no more than four beans per foot, leaving equal spaces between them. If properly planted, the germinated plants have least 4 inches between them. Space these bushes in rows at least 18 inches apart allowing you to walk among them and the bushes room to spread and thrive.

Thinning as Necessary

• If unexpectedly all of your bean plants germinate, you may need to do some thinning. Measure the distance between the central stems of the germinating plants. The plants must have at least 4 inches of space between them to spread out and 6 inches is better. If your bushes do not have enough space, strategically removing one of the young plants provides more space. The area may look a little sparse now, but when the bushes grow out, it will be full of beans and branches.