How To Plant French beans

French beans, commonly called green beans, are the common bean’s young, unripe children. Planting French beans is extremely easy and result in a large yield. With a few tips and care-steps followed, French beans can be a very successful crop that can be beneficial economically. 

French beans plant are packed with immense nutritional benefits and provide various health benefits to the consumer. French beans are consumed by people worldwide and are the most important source of calories, minerals, vitamins, etc. 

PLANTING

Seeds should be sown outside when the temperatures are around 48 degrees Fahrenheit, i.e., after the last spring frost. Planting earlier could cause the seeds to rot due to delay in germination. French beans cannot survive transplanting to planting seeds indoors is not preferable. 

French beans require a well-drained soil. The beans do not need supplemental fertilizer, but it is advised to use aged manure or compost if the soil is too low. The ideal soil pH for the french beans is slightly acidic to neutral, i.e., 6.0 – 7.0. Set up poles to support the plants before planting.

CARE

1. To retain moisture, use mulch around the plants and make sure the soil is well-drained. Mulch helps the roots stay cool.
2. Beans need to be watered at least 2 inches every week. If the bean plants are not well-watered, they will not flower. 
3. Water well on sunny days to avoid any diseases.
4. Do not use high nitrogen fertilizer, a dressing of compost and manure should be enough, but if necessary, use a fertilizer that does not contain much fertilizer.
5. Weed carefully. Do not disturb the shallow roots of the beans.
6. Use row covers if the temperatures are too high. Hot weather can reduce harvest.

HARVEST

The ideal time to harvest is early morning. French beans plant should be picked when young and tender when the seeds are not fully developed. Harvest the beans every day as the more you pick, the more the growth. Look for beans that are thick and firm to harvest. Snap the beans off the plant, be careful not to tear the plant. If the seeds inside are bulging, they will taste tough as they are past their peak.

STORAGE

Air-tight and dry containers should be used to store in the refrigerator. They will toughen after a few days either way. You can also store frozen beans after blanching. Another way is to can or pickle them.

PROBLEMS FACED

French beans face quite a few problems, mostly pests. Here is a list of the most common diseases and pests found in the french beans plants. 

Common diseases of French Beans:

• BACTERIAL

1. Leaf spot, also called leaf blight, generally appears on primary leaves of french beans plant. They appear as brown spots, round and surrounded by a dark ring, sometimes as small black spots. Under extreme humidity, this disease can occur in mature leaves as well.
2. Halo blight of beans can attack the plant leaves, the buds, or seeds. The bacteria enter through leaves and multiply within the cellular spaces of the plant.

• FUNGAL:

1. Ash stem blight, also called stem rot of bean is a fungus that can attack the whole plant, the buds, stems, leaves, seeds, and roots all included. Dry rot appears on the cotyledons, and small black spots grow in the affected area.
2. Fusarium root rot of bean Reddish lesions, longitudinal show up at the base of the stem, and the roots are targetted to necrosis, which means to die because of external factors.

Common pests of French Beans:

Aphids cause direct damage to the french bean plants. Their colonies attack young shoots, petioles, the lower side of leaves and seedlings.

Whiteflies can damage the plant by causing chlorotic leaf spots. Depending on the degree of colonization of whiteflies, these spots can turn the entire plant yellow. When whiteflies are not controlled, and their feeding is excessive, leaves can become dry and fall, or become brittle. 

 TYPES OF FRENCH BEANS 

The major beans types are:

• Creeping beans (for fresh consumption or grains)
• Bushy beans (for fresh consumption or grains)

A few types of beans are namely:

• Beyond green beans
• Haricots verts
• Long beans
• Purple string beans
• Romano beans

IMPORTANCE

French beans are packed with nutrition that is medically very beneficial to consumers. They help in widespread problems like weight loss, inflammation, etc.

A list of nutritions found in french beans:

1. French beans are an amazing source of vital vitamins C and A. 
2. They also include several minerals, including iron, calcium, and magnesium. 
3. They’re also low in calories. 
4. They’re rich in dietary fiber, good for gut health.
5. Their seeds are rich in protein.

French beans are tender, sweet, and deliciously crispy. They are eaten as stir-fried, added to soups and stews, used in salads, etc. 

CONCLUSION

In today’s world, the demand and need for green vegetables that are organic and naturally packed with minerals, vitamins, etc., are very high. The french beans are easy to grow, do not require any immense planting cost, and result in a high yield/amount of crop, which is very beneficial to the farmers economically. The sweet taste of the beans is a surplus to its benefits and importance. 

The wide variety of beans available and their various recipes make the beans of importance to growers/consumers and local restaurants and businesses.