Hardly any type of bean has as many names as the white bean: broad bean, field bean, broad bean, horse bean and many others. It is of course called white bean because of its white color. Growing them is easier than many other types of beans. Find out how to plant the white bean in your garden below.
How to plant white beans in the garden?
To plant white beans, sow them directly outdoors in mid-February, about 8-12 cm deep and 10-20 cm apart. Choose a sunny, wind-protected location and water regularly. The plants do not require any climbing support and can also be brought forward in the event of early frost.
A rarity: the cold resistance of the white bean
Unlike its cold-sensitive sisters such as the red bean, the white bean can cope well with cold even as a young plant. It can even withstand bean frosts without any problems. Therefore, the white bean is sown outdoors in mid/late February.
Tip
The white bean should not be sown too late, otherwise it will be attacked by the black aphid.
Sowing the White Bean
As I said, the white beans are sown directly outdoors in mid-February, when the ground is not frozen. It is buried relatively deep in the soil, which protects it against hard frosts: you should plant the white bean 8 to 12 cm deep and maintain a distance of 10 to 20 cm between each bean plant. White beans are almost always bush beans, so they do not need any climbing support.
Location
Beans need lots of light to thrive. So does the white bean, even though it is actually a vetch. A sunny location is therefore important. Bush beans also tend to snap, which is why a wind-protected location makes sense. To protect them from breaking off, the beans can be piled up. Here you can find out how to do this. Crop rotation is also important, which we will inform you about in detail here.
For those in a hurry: prefer the white bean
If you want to harvest even earlier, you can plant the white beans in the greenhouse or windowsill from the end of January. This has several advantages:
- The probability that the white beans will be attacked by aphids is greatly reduced
- The white beans can be harvested even earlier
- You gain time to prepare your garden beds
In this video you will learn how to prefer your white beans:
Dicke Bohnen erfolgreich anbauen ? Saubohnen vorziehen für eine frühe Ernte
Tip
White beans take a long time to germinate. Don't despair! It can take three weeks from sowing to the first green.
Care for white beans
White beans need a lot of water and therefore need to be watered regularly. It also makes sense to mulch the beans to counteract the evaporation of irrigation water. Mulch also reduces weed growth.
