When is the best time to plant beans?

Snap beans , also known as cowpea, are a plant native to tropical regions that prefer warm climatic conditions. The crop can handle higher temperatures and seeds germinate best in warm conditions between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius. Green beans are highly heat-resistant and can still produce pods normally even at temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius. However, beans are relatively resistant to low temperatures. When the temperature drops below 10 degrees Celsius, the growth of beans will be significantly affected. Under such temperature conditions, the growth rate of the plant will slow down or even stop growing. Let’s learn together when is the best time to plant beans?

When is the best time to plant beans?

The Grain Rain season marks the end of spring and the approach of summer. During this period, the average daily temperature in most parts of my country has stabilized above 15°C, providing ideal temperature conditions for seed germination and seedling growth. Therefore, mid-April to early May each year becomes the best time to sow spring beans in the open air. Before sowing beans, some measures can be taken to improve the germination rate of seeds and the growth quality of seedlings. For example, placing the seeds in the sun for 1 to 2 days can help break the seeds' dormancy and enhance their vitality. The seeds after drying can also be soaked in warm water for 5 to 6 hours. This process can eliminate moldy and incomplete seeds, ensuring that the seedlings after sowing can grow neatly and healthily.

When choosing soil for growing beans, priority should be given to land with deep soil layers, loose structure, easy irrigation and drainage, rich organic matter, and good water and fertilizer retention capabilities. Such soil conditions are conducive to the development of bean roots and the absorption of nutrients, thus bringing abundant yields. At the same time, beans are sensitive to continuous cropping. Continuous planting will lead to the accumulation and aggravation of soil-borne diseases, affecting the healthy growth and yield of beans. Therefore, in order to maintain the ecological balance of the soil and reduce the occurrence of diseases, it is recommended to implement a crop rotation system for beans for more than 3 years. Through crop rotation, we can not only improve soil structure and increase soil fertility, but also effectively reduce the occurrence of diseases and pests, creating more favorable conditions for the growth of beans.

Key points for high-yield planting of beans

1. Soil selection

As a highly adaptable crop, beans are not picky about soil and can grow in a variety of soil types. However, for better harvests, loam and light sandy soils with a neutral or slightly acidic pH and good drainage are ideal. What needs to be avoided is that land that is prone to waterlogging, has extreme pH levels, or has soil that is too sticky is not conducive to the growth of beans. In addition, to reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases and maintain soil fertility, avoid growing beans or other legumes on the same land for two consecutive years. The crop rotation system can effectively improve the growth quality and yield of beans.

2. Temperature Management

Beans are a thermophilic crop and a suitable temperature range is essential for their growth. Seeds can only germinate successfully in an environment above 15℃, and 25-35℃ is the optimal temperature range for bean germination and emergence. During the growth period of beans, maintaining a temperature of 20-28℃ is conducive to the growth of stems and leaves; during the flowering and pod-setting period, the temperature conditions of 25-28℃ during the day, 15-18℃ at night, and 18-26℃ in the soil temperature can bring abundant flowers and pods and a high pod-setting rate. If the temperature is lower than 15℃ or higher than 35℃, the growth of beans will be inhibited, resulting in problems such as poor germination, slow growth, few flowering, and low pod setting rate.

3. Lighting conditions

Beans have a high demand for light, and sufficient light is the key to ensure their good growth and high yield. Different varieties of beans have different light requirements, but in general, beans need plenty of sunlight during their growth period. Appropriate light can not only promote the growth of beans, but also increase the number of flowers and pods, and reduce the phenomenon of falling flowers and pods.

4. Water Management

Beans have a well-developed root system and are highly drought-resistant. During the planting process, the soil should be kept moderately moist during the germination period and pod swelling period after sowing, while the moisture should be appropriately controlled during other growth stages. Especially before budding, flowering and poding, proper water control can help promote flower bud differentiation and lay the foundation for large-scale flowering and poding in the later stage. Wait until the beans form young pods and grow to 2-3 cm, then water them at the appropriate time to promote the growth of the pods.

5. Fertilizer application

Beans have high requirements for elements such as phosphorus, potassium, and molybdenum. During the entire growth cycle, the demand for the three main fertilizers of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium gradually decreases, among which the demand for phosphorus fertilizer is the greatest, followed by potassium fertilizer, and nitrogen fertilizer is the least. In addition, since leguminous plants need to form rhizobia, they also have a higher demand for molybdenum. When applying fertilizer, ensure that there is sufficient base fertilizer, use more fermented farmyard manure, soil fertilizer, cake fertilizer or commercial organic fertilizer , and add appropriate amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium compound fertilizer . In the early stage of growth, you can apply high-nitrogen fertilizer to promote vine extension and leaf growth, and spray ammonium molybdate in the seedling stage to promote the formation of rhizobia. In the middle and late stages of growth, the use of nitrogen fertilizer should be reduced, the application of phosphorus fertilizer and potassium fertilizer should be increased, and attention should be paid to supplementing boron fertilizer and calcium fertilizer to increase the flowering and podding rate and pod quality.

In general, maintaining a suitable temperature is crucial during the bean cultivation process. Vegetable farmers need to pay close attention to weather changes to ensure that beans grow within a suitable temperature range to promote their healthy development and high yield.