pole bean question

I almost always plant bush beans. This year I'am doing both pole and bush. My pole beans are climbing up the fence and look healthy. My question is when do the pole beans get flowers? My bush beans are loaded with white flowers, but pole beans have none. Thanks DM

I know that pole beans take longer than bush beans to produce beans, but I can't say how long in terms of weeks. Funny, I've always done pole beans but tried bush beans for the first time this summer. I've been disappointed at how few beans I'm getting. Maybe I needed more plants? I have about 8. I've got 7 more coming up now, so I'll have more beans later on.

Pole beans take longer to start producing, but when they do - they will keep producing til frost in your part of the US.
Most bush beans are a "once & done" harvest.

Any particular cultivar? Ky Wonder has always produced for me.

Blue and Bubba, thanks for the input. I knew they took longer to start producing, but I haven't seen any flowers, and just got nervous I guess. I mainly was wondering if they start getting flowers after they have climbed and filled out.

My bush beans are Kentucky Wonder and the poles are called homestead ( I ordered off internet) DM

DM - I've grown only the bush beans also, and I am getting ready to plant the pole bean Fortex to compare. Got them from Johnny's - and the packet says to use an innoculant (says it will enrich the soil, enlarge the plants, and increase yields.) Is this necessary or just a ploy to get me to put in another order?

Sounds like a great marketing ploy to me. You are in Houston, too, so I suspect your soil is fine. You may need some grub-stop - they love to cut the beans off just below the ground level.

Lost about 1/2 of my first planting to them. Now use the old trick my step-father showed me - remove the bottom from a paper cup and bury it around the seeds with about 1/2" above ground level. Worked in MN and works here.

I'm about ready to start the fall garden, too, now that the rain has stopped.

I always use an inoculant with peas and beans. I don't know how much it makes a difference because I have never compared growing with and without. I don't consider it a ploy on Johnny's part but you should still get good results if you wish to skip it. I used to plant only bush beans but last summer tried the pole beans for the first time. Now I am hooked since they produce more and are easier to pick. I highly recomment Renee's Garden French Duet Pole Beans (includes yellow Ramdor and green Emirite) since I love French filet beans. I have never seen the Ramdor offered any where else and they are delicious.

This message was edited Aug 1, 2007 9:24 AM

bookworm, I have never used an innoculent. I had never heard of them before this year on Davesgarden. I have always grown beans and peas without them. I had a good crop of peas this year. My bush beans are loaded with blossoms. I did not feed my beans or peas. I just always keep working on my soil. DM

I've grown different kinds of pole beans for several years now. I started using innoculant the first year because the seed catalog (which I realize is not necessarily the best source on such matters, but I wasn't a DG subscriber back then) strongly urged it. I've used it most years, but didn't use it a couple of different times because I just forgot to order it or couldn't find it when I was ready to plant. I've never noticed a difference in the beans one way or another. That's just my experience, nothing scientific.

To be honest, I feel quite dumb because I'm not sure what I was supposed to be innoculating them against in the first place. (Hey, not the first time and I'm sure not the last time I'll feel dumb. LOL).

Photo of my 8 year old gardening daughter looking at this year's batch of non-innoculated Purple Pod pole beans.

BDale, your not dumb, just funny.

Love your picture, the beans with the flowers in front and they look so healthy! Great job.

Thanks DM.

We're entering vegetables at the county fair next week (me in some categories, daughter in different categories with different vegetables so there won't be any father vs daughter showdowns)! My daughter's entering the purple pole beans and very excited (me too!) because they just started fully developing beans over the past week. She should have plenty of them by fair time. (She's been helping and charting their progress since she and I planted them.) I hope yours develop soon and produce for you.

Thanks for the info all! Since I have the seeds and no innoculant, I'll take a chance. I want to get them in the ground pretty soon. Bubba - howdy! That's good advice about the paper cups to prevent grubs from chowing down on the plants. Hope our relative "good" weather holds up!

B-dale - now those are some awesome beans! Very pretty flowers, too! Guess I won't worry about innocuating them :)

Good luck B-dale and your daughter! What a great activity for a child and parent to share. Let us know how you both do.