# How many green bean plants needed?



## forfreedom

We love green beans, chickens do too (steamed). 
I planted 4 rows, 20' long and had somewhat dismal results.

How many plants do I need to have LOTS of green beans, and have some saved for the next year planting. I like bush beans because they don't need support.


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## Harry Chickpea

The first planting for this year was three 80' rows of blue lake bush, planted a foot apart with rows three feet apart to accomodate the tiller. The first harvest is about 2 file boxes full. The plants are still flowering and have immature beans, so I expect at least another file box full. I have another two rows that I planted a little later, so there will be more.


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## Yellow Creek

Michigan State U. estimates a family of four for fresh use will need 2 oz of seed planted in an 85 ft row to produce 50 lbs of snap beans.


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## 7thswan

I figure we need 2 pints per week canned. I don't know how many plants, but I plant the seeds about 2" apart. Usally 2 40' rows and 1 16' row of pole beans.


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## jwal10

I plant 2 16' rows, 1 tendergreen and 1 yellow wax. We can and freeze them together. We eat some every other day. We have had 2 pickings, froze 10 pints and the next one will be the biggest for canning 20 pints. We usually have beans into late august, then a second smaller planting will come on for fresh eating, planted mid july where I take out the cabbage. Cabbage heads are huge right now and 1 is splitting, will have to make saurkraut. I also planted 2 4' rows of beans where I removed the 2 earliest pea plantings, they are just starting to bloom....James


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## Paquebot

One bean plant will generally return 120:1. That is, 120 beans per 1 planted. Green beans generally average 6 beans per pod so you'd get 20 pods per plant. Since the overall size and thickness of the pods vary, I'd say that each plant should produce about a half pint of snap beans. Of course, that would be at optimum planting distance and optimum soil fertility. Factors affecting the latter would make for a much smaller harvest.

Martin


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## Phoebesmum

Paquebot said:


> One bean plant will generally return 120:1. That is, 120 beans per 1 planted. Green beans generally average 6 beans per pod so you'd get 20 pods per plant. Since the overall size and thickness of the pods vary, I'd say that each plant should produce about a half pint of snap beans. Of course, that would be at optimum planting distance and optimum soil fertility. Factors affecting the latter would make for a much smaller harvest.
> 
> Martin


Martin, I am continually amazed at your wealth of knowledge!! I hope someday I can have even a fraction of your smarts in my head!


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## Paquebot

Knowledge in such matters generally is based on two things; experience and good memory. The bean thing was based on experience and has since proven to be true by others. I brought back some red beans from Belize one time. When planted back, the plants produced pods with either 4 or 6 beans in them. Those with 4 averaged about 30 pods per plant while those with 6 averaged 20. Either way, 120 beans. A few years later, only saved seed from those which produced the 6 per pod and that's what each plant now gives. Since I grow a lot of beans, 45-50 varieties this year, I've found the 120:1 return pretty close except for a few early varieties. Some, like turtle types, will easily do 200:1 under good conditions.

Martin


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## Phoebesmum

Paquebot said:


> Knowledge in such matters generally is based on two things; experience and good memory. The bean thing was based on experience and has since proven to be true by others. I brought back some red beans from Belize one time. When planted back, the plants produced pods with either 4 or 6 beans in them. Those with 4 averaged about 30 pods per plant while those with 6 averaged 20. Either way, 120 beans. A few years later, only saved seed from those which produced the 6 per pod and that's what each plant now gives. Since I grow a lot of beans, 45-50 varieties this year, I've found the 120:1 return pretty close except for a few early varieties. Some, like turtle types, will easily do 200:1 under good conditions.
> 
> Martin


So you plant 40-50 varieties of beans and 200 tomato plants (I think that is what I read in another posting)--WHAT do you do with all this produce? Do you operate a CSA, put up food for an army, what? LOL


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## Paquebot

Phoebesmum said:


> So you plant 40-50 varieties of beans and 200 tomato plants (I think that is what I read in another posting)--WHAT do you do with all this produce? Do you operate a CSA, put up food for an army, what? LOL


If all goes well, and I'm still alive by then, you'll find out sometime next January. That's when everyone here has a chance to share some of my garden.

Martin


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