Legumes (Beans & Peas)

Legumes like beans and peas are fantastic additions to any vegetable garden. They are known for their ability to fix nitrogen in the soil, benefiting subsequent crops. They come in bush and vining (pole) varieties.

Planting Legumes

Most beans are warm-season crops, while peas prefer cooler weather, making them ideal for spring and fall planting.

• Sowing: Direct sow seeds after the danger of frost has passed for beans, and as soon as the soil can be worked for peas.
• Soil: Well-drained soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. Legumes can tolerate less fertile soil due to their nitrogen-fixing capabilities, but adding compost is beneficial.
• Inoculants: Consider using a pea and bean inoculant (Rhizobium bacteria) at planting time, especially if legumes haven't been grown in that spot before. This helps them fix nitrogen more effectively.
• Support: Pole beans and many pea varieties will need trellises, stakes, or fences for support. Bush beans generally do not require support.

Common Legume Varieties

Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris)

• Bush Beans: Compact plants that produce their crop over a few weeks. Varieties include green beans, yellow wax beans, and some dry beans.
• Pole Beans: Vining plants that require support and produce beans over a longer period. Often considered more flavorful.
• Dry Beans: Varieties grown specifically for their mature, dried seeds (e.g., kidney, pinto, black beans).
• Runner Beans (Phaseolus coccineus): Vigorous climbers with ornamental flowers, producing edible pods and beans.

Peas (Pisum sativum)

• Shelling Peas (English Peas): Grown for the sweet peas inside the pod; the pod itself is usually too tough to eat.
• Snap Peas: Edible pods with plump peas inside. The entire pod is eaten.
• Snow Peas: Flat, edible pods harvested when the peas inside are very small.

Care and Maintenance

• Watering: Consistent moisture, especially during flowering and pod development. Avoid overhead watering to reduce disease risk.
• Fertilizing: Generally, legumes do not need much nitrogen fertilizer. Excess nitrogen can lead to lush foliage but fewer pods.
• Mulching: Helps retain soil moisture and suppress weeds.
• Pest and Disease Management: Aphids, bean beetles, and powdery mildew can be issues. Choose resistant varieties and practice crop rotation.

Harvesting

Harvest green beans and snap peas when pods are young and tender before the seeds inside fully develop. For shelling peas, harvest when pods are plump. For dry beans, allow pods to dry on the plant until beans rattle inside, then shell and store.

Regular harvesting encourages further production for most beans and peas.