How to Grow Asparagus Beans

Grow asparagus beans once the daytime temperature begins to hold at 77 to 95 degrees F. At night, the temperature should be at or above 59 F.

Install a trellis next to the plants for the stems to climb. Alternatively, plant six seeds around foot-tall poles. Use longer supports if you want taller vines. Cut the plants' tops when they reach the highest point. Plants left to crawl are more prone to disease. Manually wrap the stems around the support early in the plant's development to train them to climb.

Sow the seeds in well-aerated soil, low in nitrogen. Like other legumes, the plant's roots absorb the nutrient from the air. Nitrogen supplementation results in over fertilization and a reduced crop. Incorporate 1/2 inch to 1 inch manure into the ground after loosening it to a depth of 8 inches prior to planting. This is the only fertilization the plant needs. Select a planting site exposed to full sun at least six hours a day.

Irrigate the seeds at planting and keep the bed moist through germination and root establishment. Reduce irrigation once the plants begin to develop continuously, allowing the soil surface to dry between sessions. Although asparagus bean plants tolerate drought, they produce a low-quality crop in prolonged dry conditions.

Cut the pods off the vine 50 to 60 days following planting. They will still be green, tender and edible. For the dry beans only, begin to harvest the brittle pods daily 70 days after you sow the seeds.