The Difference Between Bush Beans & Vine Beans

Bush Beans Versus Vine Beans

• Some beans grow on bushes that are low to the ground and require little support. Others, called vine or pole beans, grow vertically and need a little extra help to thrive since the beans can be heavy. Vine beans are commonly supported on a wooden trellis or tripod of sticks. Beans are also referred to as snap or shelling beans. Each type has varieties that grow on bushes or vines. Snap beans, such as Kentucky Wonder, are eaten, pod and all, when they are tender. Shelling beans, such a lima beans and butter beans, are popped from inside their shell when they're fully formed.

Growth and Requirements

• Beans can grow in just about any kind of soil. All varieties do need to be planted in full sun, and you should avoid planting seeds until all chance of frost has passed. Bush beans can be planted in dense crops -- they don't need to be planted in neat rows -- and they don't require much fertilizer. Sow seeds five to six inches apart. Pole beans use vertical space and seeds can grow up around the poles of a tepeelike structure. Sow about seven seeds around the base of each pole, but thin to three or four seedlings per pole to avoid crowding. To improve pole beans' yield, add some compost around the plants when half of their growing season has elapsed.

Heirloom Beans

• Heirloom seeds are not genetically modified or hybridized, and these seeds are often the choice for organic gardens. Heirlooms are cultivars that have been grown for 50 to 100 years or even longer. Plants grown from seeds have characteristics that are consistent because there is no variation in the gene pool. Black Valentine string beans are an heirloom variety of bush bean introduced in the 1850s and Dragon's Tongue is a Dutch bush bean with waxy pods that have purple streaks. The Lazy Wife pole bean got its curious moniker because it was the first snap bean that didn't need to be destringed.

Harvest

• Snap beans, whether on a vine or pole, should be harvested before they get too large and turn dry or woody. Bush beans tend to mature in 70 to 75 days. Pole beans mature in 65 to 80 days, depending on the variety. Harvest snap beans that look smooth and crisp. The more you pick, the more they'll grow, so ensure your crop flourishes by harvesting your beans regularly. Harvest butter or lima beans once the beans have fully formed in the shell but before the pods dry out.