When planning a container garden, consider adding a bit of edible landscaping by adding some green bean varieties to the space. Green beans are a hearty, easy-growing vegetable and are available in two basic varieties and multiple colors. They can decorate your container garden as long, interwoven vines or petite bushes.
Pole green beans are best planted in containers that are near a lattice or trellis of some sort that they can climb as they grow. The container and trellis will need to be placed such that they receive full sun. These green beans vines will reach over six feet high.
The blossoms will add small bits of white color to the vines as the vines prepare to fruit. For additional color in a container garden, consider planting purple or yellow green beans. These varieties carry a misnomer as the colors vary from the standard green beans, but the texture and flavor are the same. These beans will continue to produce in waves until your area receives your first frost.
Bush green beans make a beautiful free standing bush. Each bush will grow to be about two feet in height and bear its fruit all at once. A number of colorful bush bean varieties are available to add color to your container garden including burgundy, purple, yellow, white and many shades of green.
Evaluate the garden area after choosing the type and variety of green bean to be planted. Determine what area of the garden gets the most sun as green beans will need full sunlight. Also note existing structures that may accommodate the pole-beans if these are chosen. Often an existing trellis or post can be accommodated as a climbing pole.
Once containers have been placed, wait until all danger of frost has passed before continuing with the planting process. Next, prepare the soil for the containers; a basic potting mix is sufficient. Assess the size of the containers. Given the square-foot gardening model, each cubic foot of soil can accommodate one bush bean plant or four to eight pole bean plants. A good rule of thumb is to plant a few extra seeds and thin them as they start to come up.
If the garden area is prone to rabbits, woodchucks or other wildlife that love the greens of the bean plants, consider a decorative fence, or wire meshing around the bottom of the containers if there is any evidence that something is nibbling the leaves of the plants.
Once you’ve placed containers and planted seeds, water according to the directions with the type of bean chosen and watch them grow. In forty to seventy-five days fresh beans will adorn the dinner table and the garden will be alive with the vibrancy of green-bean plants.