Beans + Taters

Arecent study found that partnering potatoes ( Solanum tuberosum) with common garden beans ( Phaseolus vulgaris) such as green beans and yellow wax beans produced an increased potato tuber size. While garden beans don’t fix large amounts of nitrogen, they are capable of sharing some of the nitrogen they do fix with nearby plants.

This partnership can be implemented by alternating rows of beans and potatoes in the garden or by mixing the two plants together in the same row or block. Regardless of the style you choose, the planting of potatoes and beans can occur simultaneously, or the potatoes can be planted several weeks in advance of the beans.

Seed potatoes can be planted any time from early spring through midsummer in temperate climates. Bean seedlings take several weeks to begin the nitrogen fixation process, and newly planted seed potatoes take a few weeks to begin to grow, making this partnership both flexible and straightforward. — Jessica Walliser

alternate rows of beans and potatoes in the garden (above) or mix the two plants together in the same row or block to produce an increased potato tuber size.

excerpted from plant partners © 2020 and used with permission from storey publishing.