Green Beans

Green beans, also known as string beans or French beans, are a popular vegetable that can be prepared in many different ways.

You can sow the seeds for an early crop of green beans in the last week of April and the first week in May. In the first week in July, you can plant a late crop.

The seeds of the first crop can be sown between rows of lettuce and cabbage, which will protect the young bean plants.

You should plant green beans in deeply cultivated soil that has been covered with a large amount of farmyard manure.

You can also add lime, superphosphate or potassium sulfate to the soil.

Sow string bean seeds in double rowed drills that are 2 ½ to 3 feet apart, 4 inches wide and two inches deep.

The seeds in one row should lie in between the seeds in the next row.

When the French bean plants are growing well, they should be thinned out so that they are 6 feet apart in every direction.

Once the ground has been cleared, fill the space between each alternate row of beans with a different crop, such as spinach or lettuce.

Leave alternate spaces empty so you have room to pick the plants from either side.

You can also make rows two feet apart and then place seeds 6 inches part in holes in the rows.

Once the pods are full, you must pick them as soon as you can or they will become tough and the plants will not grow any more pods.