How to Grow Pole Beans

Treat it right, and your plant keeps on producing

Before planting pole beans, improve your native soil with a 3-inch layer of Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics® All Purpose In-Ground Soil.
Build 6-8 foot tripods for your beans to climb.
Plant pole beans 2-3 inches apart after the last spring frost.
Lay down 3 inches of mulch once your pole beans reach 4 inches tall.
Beginning a month after planting, feed regularly with Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics® Edibles Plant Nutrition.
Harvest pole beans 60-65 days after planting.

1. Add Flavor and Save Space

Pole beans are nutrient-rich and surprisingly easy to grow. Pole beans, meaning those that grow upward on poles, string or other similar structures, take up less space than bush beans, which grow on the ground. Plus, they produce continuously once they start bearing pods, which means you only have to plant them once in the spring to have fresh, tasty beans all summer. Pole beans also tend to have a more distinct and nutty taste than bush beans.

2. Amend Your Soil

Before planting your pole beans, amend the soil in your garden to add nutrients. Work in a 3-inch layer of compost or other organic matter, such as aged compost-enriched Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics® All Purpose In-Ground Soil, into the top 6 inches of the existing soil.

3. Sow Pole Bean Seeds

Create 6 to 8 feet tall tripods using 3 poles fastened together near the top. After the last spring frost, plant three to five seeds 2 to 3 inches apart around each pole.

4. Eliminate Weed Competition

Carefully weed around young bean plants to prevent weeds from stealing sunlight, water and nutrients from your beans. When you've removed all weeds and the bean plants are 3 to 4 inches tall, mulch the area with a 3-inch layer of mulch. Water your plants regularly and evenly to maintain soil moisture, especially during flowering and fruiting.

5. Feed Your Beans Regularly

Plants grow best when, in addition to being planted in nutrient-rich soil, they're given regular feedings of premium quality plant food. Feed your pole bean plants with Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics® Edibles Plant Nutrition every week throughout the growing season, following the label directions. Not only will this fertilize your plants, but it will feed the soil, too.

6. Pick Your Beans Frequently

Most pole beans are ready for harvest 60 to 65 days after planting. They will continue to produce handfuls of 7- to 12-inch-long beans until frost, so pinch or cut the pods off carefully to avoid uprooting plants that are still producing. Pick fresh beans at least every few days for optimum tenderness.