Beans can give, and give, and give right up until the end of the season. It doesn't take much to care for string beans — especially once they're established. In fact, if the plants are healthy, you'll have fresh beans on the dinner table right up until the cold weather sets in.
Green bean plants (also referred to as snap beans or wax beans) are best harvested while the beans are still small. Let them go too long, and the beans contained in the pods mature and lose some of their sweet flavor. "Regular picking encourages the plant to keep producing more beans," shared Chris Ramos, Blain's Farm and Fleet By harvesting the beans while they’re still tender and bendable, you stimulate the plant to grow and develop additional pods."
In the best case scenario, your harvesting period will last until the first frost or until the plant's health declines due to reduced daylight, whichever comes first.
Bush vs. Pole Green Bean Varieties
- Pole Beans: These beans are the type that'll grow several feet tall—often requiring stakes or trellises for support—and demand regular harvesting to keep producing. They'll continuously blossom and grow pods until the first frost, or until the plant is damaged or diseased. Vegetable gardens can yield a generous harvest consistently over several months.
- Bush Beans: Bush-type beans have a more defined growth period. They grow to a certain height, produce all their beans within a short window (usually 4-6 weeks), and then stop producing for the season. After their main harvest, bush beans won’t produce much more, so they're better in climates with a shorter, concentrated harvest. Succession planting is more popular for gardeners who want to get more from their bean plants.
Continuous Flowering and Bean Pod Production
For pole bean varieties, the growth cycle involves constant flowering and pod production. As long as conditions are favorable—adequate sunlight, warm soil temperatures, and proper soil moisture—these types of beans will deliver a continuous harvest in your garden bed.
End-of-Season Decline
As the growing season progresses, bean species will begin to slow down. Factors such as shorter days, cooler temperatures, and plant exhaustion from months of production can affect their ability to continue producing pods. Late-season beans may grow slower and be smaller or less tender.
Several environmental and care factors influence how long green bean plants will continue to produce:
- Temperature and Frost: The biggest factor is the weather. String beans thrive in warm weather, with ideal growing temperatures between 70-85°F during the day. As temperatures drop and the danger of frost rises, pod growth slows significantly. Ultimately, a frost can kill the plant and end the harvest season. In regions without frost, green bean plants can grow longer before weakening and dying.
- Sunlight Availability: Green bean plants need at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily to support pod production. As days get shorter towards the end of the season, the reduced amount of light can slow down flowering and bean growth.
- Watering and Nutrients: An inch of water per week is enough to keep the mature plant healthy. The entire plant should be watered deeply, but not too frequently to prevent root rot. We fertilize the soil early in the season, and again mid-season to support continued growth and bean production.
- Pests and Disease Issues: Over time, pests like aphids, spider mites, or bean diseases such as rust can weaken green bean plants. Keeping plants healthy and using pest control methods can prolong the growth and production period.
FAQ
Will green bean plants produce pods until winter?
Yes, but only as long as temperatures remain above freezing. As soon as temperatures begin dipping below 50 degrees and the days shorter and cooler, pod production will naturally slow down. In frost-free climates, where conditions remain mild, green bean vines can continue to produce pods into the winter, but they'll ultimately be affected by the shortened amount of daylight or disease.
How can I get more from my green bean plants?
Regular harvesting and watering is the best way to get the most from your bean plants. Pole bean plants will continue flowering and growing pods until the end of the season. Additionally, if you can protect your plants from cooler weather with row covers or greenhouses, you can avoid a damaging frost and manage warmth in a more controlled environment.
What should I do with green beans at the end of the season?
When temperatures begin to cool off, you might find yourself with green beans still on the vine. These can be harvested and enjoyed fresh, or you can preserve them through freezing or canning. Dilly beans are a family favorite! Beans that are left on the vine for too long will begin to dry out — but that's not necessarily a bad thing! You can harvest the pods, allow them to dry completely, and save the larger green bean seeds for next year's planting. Save them in a seed packet, and you'll be ready to plant beans in the late spring.
