harvesting greenbeans

[mycatnola]

I grow some greenbeans there the bushbean contender and iam not for sure what stage thay need to be at before I harvest them what do you think

[hendi_alex]

IMO medium size is best. When haevested before the beans inside start to plump, there will never be any strings and the beans won't cause production to slow down. Just allowing a few beans to get thicker and more mature can cause the vines to slow production prematurely. So about pencil size or a little larger for me!

[gumbo2176]

I agree with HendiAlex 100%. Leave the beans on too long an they get tough and stringy and slows down production. I find this goes for bush and pole beans both.

[applestar]

Yep. Once they start producing you will absolutely need to harvest every other day, and with bush beans, I typically push the plants over one way, then push them over the other way to try to find them all.

[hendi_alex]

I'm so looking forward to our first harvest. The vines are full sized, but have not started blooming yet. Maybe in another ten days to two weeks, well be harvesting! I succession plant small blocks of about 15-20 square feet. Currently have a larger block of full sized plants, have a smaller block of plants with first set of true leaves, have another small block that just emerged a few days ago. Will plant another block in another week or two. Bush beans are easy to keep going all through the summer. Perhaps will freeze a few this year, for putting into winter time veggie soups.

[imafan26]

My maxibel beans are just starting to make beans.

[catgrass]

Contender are best at about 5-6 inches-Larger than that they get tough.

[RamblingRiver]

I've been harvesting my Lazy Housewife pole beans now for about two weeks. I've already picked 6 qts of of pencil sized beans which I have either sold or lacto-fermented. However, a few plants I have left some bean pods on to swell up and make seed for next seasons crop.