Is it too late to plant pole beans in Wisconsin?

[andrea baker]

Hi folks,

In your opinion, is it too late to plant pole beans in Wisconsin? For a number of reasons (primarily, moving house at the end of May), I am running behind this year, and didn't get anything planted until I planted some tomatoes in containers and some pole beans in the ground a week ago.

I soaked the pole beans over night before planting them, and didn't plant them too deep, but they still aren't above ground. Assuming that they come up in 1 more week's time, that would be July 24.

The package says maturity is 54-60 days, but my experience is that the maturity is always 2-4 weeks longer than the package says.

What say you all?

Andrea Baker

[Pat Meadows]

No. Our (USA) pole beans are typically not the same as your (UK - I assume from your address) runner beans. Similar, but with distinct differences.

I've grown both.

Our pole beans are (usually) eaten as snap beans, and called 'green beans' or 'string beans'. The pods are the part eaten, before the seeds develop much if any inside. They can be eaten as 'shell beans' (the seeds eaten fresh) or as dried beans, but typically the young pods are eaten. The French would call them 'haricots verts'. I'm not sure what you call them in the UK but I think you call them 'green beans'.

They are much nicer to eat (IMHO) than runner beans, which tended (in my experience) to be tough and didn't have a very good flavor, comparatively.

We use the expression 'pole beans' for various different beans though: any that will grow up a pole (like runners). Some are 'romano beans' - a broader, flatter bean which came from Italy.

But not lima beans (eaten as fresh shell beans: pods not edible), we don't call them 'pole beans'.

Pat

[Pat Meadows]

You'd like our green beans then: much more like your French beans.

I believe that your 'broad beans' are called 'fava beans' here. They are not at all common here, and I wouldn't think many home gardeners grow them. They're quite uncommon in stores too.

Our green beans are coming along, but haven't blossomed yet, I planted them very late.

We had a terribly wet spring, and then I was laid up and couldn't even walk out to the garden for six weeks - so my garden has been devastated this year what with one thing and another. Not at all what I had planned. You cannot lose all of June and half of July and still keep up with the garden. I'm much better now, though, and will be starting seeds for fall veggies shortly.

Pat

[zxcvbob]

You certainly have time for bush beans -- especially if you plant "Contender".

I think if you plant pole beans now they will sense the shortening season and bear quicker and a smaller crop than they ordinarily would, but I'm just guessing.

Bob, in Minnesota

[Jan Flora]

I think you're a good guesser : )

Jan

[Kristen]

Here in Syracuse, NY, I call mine pole limas :). Of course, I do come from South Jersey originally, so that might explain it!

-Kristen Syracuse, NY