Generally, seed should be planted at a depth that is twice the diameter of the seed on its longest axis. These spacings can be adjusted somewhat to facilitate specific field or equipment situations.īean seed are sown approximately 1 to 1.5 inches deep depending on the seed size and soil type. Runner or pole lima beans are spaced 36 to 48 inches between rows and 8 to 12 inches in the row. For runner types, the between-row spacing is 36 to 48 inches and the in-row spacing is 6 to 9 inches.īush lima beans are spaced 18 to 36 inches between-rows and 3 to 6 inches in the row. Yields can be increased with rows planted 18 to 24 inches apart with 4 to 6 seed per linear foot of row (2 to 3 inches between seed). Snap beans are sown with 5 to 7 seed per linear foot of row, or with about 1.75 to 2.5 inches between each seed. Spacingīush snap beans are typically sown with rows 30 to 36 inches apart. Check to make sure this spacing is correct, especially if an outside company will be contracted to handle the harvest. Between-row spacing is particularly critical for machine-harvested beans. Whether the equipment uses plates, belts or vacuum to single out the seed, it should be calibrated to meet your required spacing and depth of planting. Seeding equipment based on a number of different mechanisms is available for bean sowing. More and more, companies are specializing in organic seed or offering untreated seed in their catalogs. Organic growers will have to source untreated or organically produced seed and should contact their seed company well in advance of planting to ensure availability. Seed is usually treated with an appropriate fungicide to prevent seedling diseases. Commercial seed germination is excellent and very uniform. The seed are large and easily handled by appropriate seeding equipment. Plantingīeans are always direct seeded as there is no advantage to transplanting. Growers wishing to try new varieties should plant a small area to assess suitability for their situation. Wax beans are not grown widely for the commercial market in Georgia. Wax beans have the same cultural requirements as snap beans. Snap beans are usually green in color, but yellow varieties called wax beans do exist. Table 1 lists different varieties for snap bean and lima bean production in Georgia. This may be an important consideration when choosing varieties. Baby limas are from Meso-America and are more heat tolerant, while the Fordhooks are from the cooler Andean region. Lima beans also have different bean sizes - baby limas and Fordhooks - that represent distinct sub-groups of this species. Both bush and runner type snap bean pods can either be round (often called blue lake types) or flat (known as Kentucky wonder types). Variety Selectionįor processing, it is best to see if your buyer has specific recommendations or requirements for the crop before choosing a variety. Most dry bean production is done in western states where drier conditions prevail. There is not a commercially significant amount of dry bean production in Georgia. Unlike snap beans, lima beans are shelled before processing or preparing since the shell is tough, fibrous and inedible. Such seed would be shelled and used for the dry bean market or for seed. In the case of lima beans, the seeds have not become hard, although pods can be left on the plant to allow the seed to become hard and fully mature. Most beans grown in Georgia are for the mature green market and are well sized for the variety but the seed in the pod remains immature. Lima beans have much higher amounts of protein, carbohydrates and calories than snap beans. The butter bean name refers to the significant difference in their nutritional content from snap beans. Lima beans are often referred to as butter beans, particularly in the South. A few varieties, known as half-runners, fall somewhere between a bush and runner type. These plants are particularly well suited to pick-your-own and roadside marketers. Runner types flower and set pods over a longer period of time. This type of plant will climb up trellises to form a larger plant with longer vines and reach about 6 to 7 feet tall. Runner types, which are often referred to as pole beans, form vines that require trellising.
The concentrated pod set is particularly well suited to machine harvesting. These plants tend to set all of their pods at one time, facilitating a once-over harvest. Breeding has selected for short internodes in bush types so that the plant never gets very tall. Bush beans form a low-growing compact plant that stands 1 to 2 feet tall. lunatus), come in two basic types: bush and runner.
George Boyhan, Extension Horticulturist - Vegetablesīeans, including snap beans ( Phaseolus vulgaris) and lima beans ( P. Harvest/Post-Harvest and Waste Management.