My Bush Bean Plants Tip Over

by Sheila
(Johns Creek, GA)

Every year my bush green bean plants fall over when they start to get mature.

I plant them an inch deep, 4 - 6 inches apart. How can I overcome this problem?


ANSWER:

Hi Sheila,

I don't think there is anything that you can do about this. The weight of the mature plants and the growing beans will cause this to happen.

You are planting the seeds correctly; the plants are shallow-rooted and do not produce a stalk or stem that is sturdy enough to keep them upright.


One advantage to growing pole beans is that they will climb a fence, trellis or teepee, and remain upright throughout the growing season. They also produce beans over a longer period of time.

But you have to go to the effort of providing something for them to climb, so there is a trade-off!