Climbing French Bean

Seed Count: Approx. 15 Seeds 

Days to Maturity: 75 days

Pole variety, Snap Bean

Description:  This historical pole variety is great for fresh eating, especially when picked young and tender.  The vines get covered with beautiful lilac colored flowers, which then go on to produce loads of stringless, sweet, and flavorful pods.  These green beans are great eaten fresh off the vine or cooked. Pods grow to be between 4-7 inches long, and hold shiny dark purple seeds when mature.  These beans will need supports, for their pole habit, that are at least 6 ft tall, but you'll enjoy their productivity.  If pods are left on the vine to mature, you can shell them and use them as dry beans during the winter!

How To Grow

Sowing:  Beans thrive in heat and humidity.  They should be direct sown when the weather is fairly warm, and the soil temp. reaches at least 75 degrees F. Plant in average soil. Too much fertilizer will burn your bean plants.; these beans like full sun. Plant the seeds 1" deep and 3" apart, later thinning to 6-8" apart. Keep the ground moist until germination, which should occur within 7-10 days.

Growing:  Beans need to be trained on a trellis of at least 7' to support its vigorous vining habits. Protection may be needed, if cold weather threatens. Since dry weather stunts the growth of the pods, water the plants when the soil completely dries out, but do not keep them swamped with water. Watch out for aphids and mites, which can be a big problem with this bean. Plant with marigolds, corn, potatoes, and eggplants.  However, avoid growing near all members of the allium family, and sunflowers.

Harvesting:  Pick the beans for fresh eating, and check the vines often. Fully mature beans can be dried and used as soup beans. Fresh beans are best used immediately, but will keep in the fridge for several days. To save seeds, allow the pods to mature fully and dry on the vine. If frost or rainy weather threatens before your beans are dry, pull the plants and allow them to dry indoors. They should be completely dry 10-15 days later. Remove the seeds from the pods by hand, and store the seeds in a cool, dry place for up to 3 years.