Bush Beans
Bush (or snap) beans are the second most widely planted vegetable (after tomatoes) in Canadian gardens, and with good reason: They’re compact and easy to grow, and seeds can be planted successively, virtually guaranteeing a steady supply of fresh nutritious beans from early summer to autumn. While most gardeners will have already harvested their first crop by now, beans can be planted as long as soil temperatures remain below 25°C at a depth of five centimetres (sow midsummer seed deeper than spring seed to take advantage of cooler, moister soil conditions). Adding an organic mulch (shredded leaves, straw) will further help keep the soil cool and retain moisture. Bush beans have a fairly short harvest period (two to three weeks), so plant fresh seed every 20 days, up until 50 days before your first expected frost date. Beans ( just like peas) are legumes, and they enrich the soil as they grow by fixing atmospheric nitrogen through nodules on their roots. To discourage any pathogen buildup, avoid sowing midsummer seed in the same soil as spring-sown seed.