Growing Blue Lake Bush Beans in Containers

Blue Lake Bush Beans – Pole beans are fantastic, particularly if you don’t have a lot of room. Bush beans, on the other hand, set pods prolifically, do not need staking, and are compact. Blue lake bush beans contain all of these characteristics and more. The blue lake bean is an heirloom cultivar derived from the blue lake pole bean. Grow these green beans for a crisp, tasty bush bean that has been praised by gardeners for decades.

What exactly are Blue Lake Bush Beans?

Heirloom blue lake beans are a well-known cultivar that has been passed down through generations. The pole version was the forerunner, but the bush evolved from it in 1961. These gardening favorites provide straight, long pods that are popular for canning beans. The pods mature at about the same time, making them ideal for canning and freezing, but they also taste excellent fresh.

This bean variety originated as a pole bean in the early 1900s, but owing to its popularity, it was quickly transformed into a bush kind. The beans are five and a half inches (14 cm.) long, blue green, absolutely straight, and crisp. On average, the shrub grows to a height of two feet (61 cm.). Pods are ready to harvest in 55 days, and the majority mature within a few weeks of one another. These beans have a strong snap and a sweet taste, and they are abundant. There’s plenty for a large family to share or a canning day.

Growing Blue Lake Bush Beans

Heirloom blue lake beans thrive in broad light and well-drained, rich soil. Plant seeds in the spring when the earth is workable and warm. The pH of the soil should be between 5.8 and 6.0. Beans need a lot of phosphorus, as well as potassium. To improve nitrogen availability, experts recommend inoculating seeds with Rhizobium bacteria before sowing. Plant seeds 1/2 inch (1-2 cm) deep and 3 inches (8 cm) apart. Once the seeds have been planted, thoroughly water them. Keep plants fairly wet after they have germinated, which typically takes 6-12 days.

Taking Care of Blue Lake Bush Beans

Blue Lake beans are resistant to mosaic virus, a frequent issue with beans and other vegetables. To avoid damping off, they must be maintained fairly wet throughout the early days. Water early in the day or use drip irrigation to keep moisture off the foliage and avoid numerous fungal infections.

Plant it with cilantro, dill, or rosemary to deter common pests. If the infestation is severe, use Neem oil or a pyrethrin-based spray. When the beans are solid, deeply colored, and snap when bent, they are ready to harvest.

Planting Blue Lake Bush Beans in Containers

Shrub beans, as opposed to pole beans, grow as a compact bush, making them an excellent option for a container garden. Blue Lake bush beans are a popular bush bean variety that is available from most major seed companies. Blue Lake beans are easy to grow in the yard since they develop slowly, allowing you a longer opportunity to harvest the delicate, delicious pods. They are especially resistant to bean diseases like mosaic, which can rapidly devastate bean plants planted in a plant container.

• Moisten the potting soil in an 8-inch-wide, 10-inch-deep plant container. If you want to plant more than one Blue Lake plant in each pot, choose a larger container.
• Sow bean seeds 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep. In bigger planters, sow one bean per 8-inch container or a bean seed per 6 to 8-inch container diameter. When growing several plants in a single planter, keep them at least 4 inches apart.
• Shrub beans, as opposed to pole beans, grow as a compact bush, making them an excellent option for a container garden.
• Blue Lake beans are easy to grow in the yard since they develop slowly, allowing you a longer opportunity to harvest the delicate, delicious pods.
• Place the container in a location that gets direct sunshine. Water as needed to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged while waiting for germination.Blue Lake beans typically germinate three to seven days after sowing.
• When the soil surface starts to feel dry, water the container. Water from the top of the container until extra moisture drips from the bottom. Splashing water on the seedlings’ foliage may cause fungal infections.
• Blue Lake beans should be harvested when the pods are completely developed but still delicate, and before the seeds within begin to grow. Blue Lake beans are typically available for harvest within 58 days after sowing.
• Place the container in a location that gets direct sunshine. When the soil surface starts to feel dry, water the container.

TIPS

• Beans grown in containers seldom need fertilizer since they produce their own nitrogen in the potting soil.
• Frequent picking helps bean plants to produce more pods.
• Harvesting pods while the plants are wet with morning dew may transmit illness. Instead, pick the plants in the early afternoon after they have dried.