Wide row snap beans.

[Blair]

Does anyone here have experience with growing bush snap beans in wide rows? I tried it this past fall with bush green snap beans and bush yellow snap beans.

I planted 2 rows of each, spaced 8" apart in the row and between the rows. The spacing between the 2 patches was about 3-4'. The beans all grew to my thigh and grew wide enough to meet each other. Where they met in in middle was so thick that they molded and rotted because there was not enough air flow to dry them out.

Is this normal or unusual? Wide rows worked great with lettuce, beets, onions and etc.

[Hillbillybob]

Originally Posted by Blair

Does anyone here have experience with growing bush snap beans in wide rows? I tried it this past fall with bush green snap beans and bush yellow snap beans.

I planted 2 rows of each, spaced 8" apart in the row and between the rows. The spacing between the 2 patches was about 3-4'. The beans all grew to my thigh and grew wide enough to meet each other. Where they met in in middle was so thick that they molded and rotted because there was not enough air flow to dry them out.

Is this normal or unusual? Wide rows worked great with lettuce, beets, onions and etc.

I see a problem with the double roll planting of the beans not the spacing of 8 inches but planting 2 rolls in the same space 8 inches apart.

I plant my bush beans about 8 inches apart in the roll with 3 feet between each roll and they still grow togather but less plants means more air.

I tried planting my beans in a bed but had a lot of trouble with mold so I went back to the wide space between the rolls.

Hillbillybob

[EDDIE BUCK]

I plant snapbeans, garden peas, field peas in wide beds. What I do is lay off the beds with 4ft centers. Center of one bed to center of next bed. I plant one row down the center and a row on each side, 1ft from center. Three rows on a bed and cut seed rate by a third.With the three rows spaced 1 ft apart,it seems to get enough air to keep the bed and beans dry enough. I've never had trouble with mold on the beans or peas unless it comes a real hard wind and rain to beat them on the ground. Also if I planted a lot to sell at farmers market, I would rig a cultivator to plow three rows. I don't plant that many so what I do is lightly hoe the three rows once no more than two times and the beans and peas take over and shade out the weeds and grass. I still plow the middles out with tractor if need be. Oh, when the plants come up and its not a good stand, cut them or till them back in and replant. If you don't, you will fight weeds and mold the whole year. A good stand will be needed to shade out the weeds and also the beans will help hold each other up. Im not trying to tell anyone how to garden. But I am telling you how I, right or wrong do it. LOL Sorry for writ'ing this book, but this time of year when I can't work in the garden,
please forgive me when I seem to go on and on. I seem to want to read, write and watch anything on tv that has anything to do with a garden. Eddie

[S.A.J.]

I just started gardening so I can't offer any help but I can wish you luck!

[Paquebot]

Double row, 8" spacing, that's what I suggest and what I use. Then there's enough space for a hoe to pass through every opening. I had almost 900 square feet planted like that last year with 2' between rows. Always worked before but 17" of rain in about 5 days resulted in near total loss of some varieties. Some such as Dragon Tongue and Belizean Red could have easily used 12" spacing in a single row and still have been crowded. Whatever varieties you grew, better give them more room next year if they grew to your thigh. They obviously needed more shoulder room if they tried to grow like a pole variety.

Martin

[MaineFarmMom]

When I first started using a seeder I was concerned. The seeds were further apart than I planted by hand. I planned for a second sowing to make up for the difference. I worried for nothing. Plants that have adequate spacing that allows them to produce well will produce more food than crowded plants. I'm now saving money by properly spacing with less seed.

[Windy in Kansas]

The closest I came to planting wide rows is planting two rows 24 inches apart. That way I could still cultivate between them easily and yet still straddle them with my compact tractor. I am getting ready to leave town for a couple of days but will try to post a photo when I get back.

[Blair]

The varieties I planted were Blue Lake #274 and Cherokee Wax, both of them are bush. I've used them many times in single rows. Two things I did different in the fall besides the wide rows. I used a bean inoculant and in the Spring I started using a deep mulch system in my garden. From Spring to Fall the soil has really improved and become very rich.

[Callieslamb]

3 rows in 4 feet. Didn't like the results. They grew fine, but didn't produce like I thought they should. I didn't have any trouble with rot - but then, we had our worst drought ever last year. This year, I plan on thinning to 4-6 inches apart in the rows to give them more space for production.

[nebula5]

I plant in double rows, 8-10" apart. However, I have sandy soil, which needs the plant cover unless it's a very wet summer. If your soil is very rich and moist, maybe you need to raise the rows (like a raised bed) a little.

[anniew]

I usually plant 2-4 rows in each bed, with each row about a foot apart. A wet year may increase the incidence of mold, BUT
there is also a disease that is spread quickly through beans if they are picked or touched while the leaves are wet. Therefore, you should not work on the plants in any way when they are wet, including in the morning when dew is still on them. I'm not sure that is your problem, but it is one to consider.

[Blair]

Anniew I had considered that but I can't remember being in them when they're wet. I try to be careful about doing that.

[Terri]

Last year I planted the beans 4 inches apart, and I made each row about 6 inches to 8 inches wide.

BUT! The rows were 3 feet apart, so there was better air circulation. I have seen the beans planted as solid patches, I had not realized that beans planted in that manner might have disease problems! Thank you for that warning!

I plant in wide rows the width of a garden rake. Instead of making rows I just kind of broadcast the bean seeds to cover the width of the row. Then I rake a small amount of soil over them and pack them down. I may use a whole pound of bean seeds per 30 ft. row. They grow so thick and lucious that you don't have to do any weeding in the bed. When it comes time to pick I may pick a whole bushel per row per picking. I usually plant two rows one week apart. For a couple of weeks or so when they're producing, we will have bean running out of our ears like you wouldn't believe.

I've had a lot better success in doing it this way then planting in single rows. I learned this technique from a book called "Joy of Gardening" by Dick Raymond. In fact he inspires wide row gardening for many vegetables. I've tried many of them and have had good success with his method.

[DoubleD]

I do exactly as r.h. in okla but just use the technique in my raised bed sections. I too learned that method from Dick Raymond's book and used traditional widerow planting for years (very succesfully) in the garden at my prior homestead. I have more limited space where I am now - so have shifted to raised boxed beds - but STILL use the broadcast method of the widerow planting for bush beans. Excellent results - low maintenance - and very easy to plant this way.

[MaKettle]

I use the wide row method. The time I tried 3 rows 12" apart they grew up, fell over, and harvesting was about impossible. Best success has been 12" between two rows with a 2' wire fence between them to prevent them from falling over each other. Also mulch heavily to keep down weeds and conserve moisture. I keep enough space between each wide row combination to allow me to sit to harvest and allow good air circulation. Have learned to pay attention to the plant spacing and to thin as needed.