ENCYCLOPLANTS

French Beans are also known as Kidney or String Beans, these plants are easy to grow and come in a wide range that can be eaten as immature pods, shelled, half-ripe or dried and mature bean seeds. Never eat these pods or beans raw as they contain toxins that are removed by the cooking process.

 

Pests for this plant include Slugs, Bean Seed Flies, Aphids, Foot and Root Rots, Halo blight, Anthracnose, and Viruses.

 

French Bean seeds grow well in a sheltered location with very enriched soil, they  are a very deep rooting plant so digging should be deeper than the average digging depth of the spade. Prepare the soil about a month in advance to sowing seeds which sowing time is late May to early July. The plant require support from short sticks or canes to keep the beans off the soil. netting is also a good idea between canes for the plant to grow up.

 

French Beans are vulnerable to frost at the seeding and seedling stage if unprotected and will be damaged by it. it would be best to remove and replant any that get damaged by a late frost. 

 

Water plants well during dry weather, placing mulch around the plant will aid in keeping soil moist.

 

The French Bean is native to many areas all with a different name such as Fine Beans and Green Beans.