How to Grow Blue Lake 274 Bush Beans from Seed
Bush bean can be started indoors, but performs best if sown directly after the final spring frost. Sow 2-3 seeds 1" deep and 2-3" apart in moist, Organically rich, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0-6.8. Whether direct sowing or transplanting, thin out strongest starts to every 18-24" in the garden as true leaves establish. Beans need light and consistent watering but, when doing so, water as close to the root as possible to avoid saturating greens known to cause root rot and mildew.
Plants thrive from a top layer of mulch to help cool soil and roots. Avoid nitrogen-rich fertilizers which will cause excessive vegetative growth with minimal bean pod production.
Blue Lake 274 Bush Beans in the Vegetable Garden
Green beans can be grown indoors, however due to their size and requirement of having full sun, outdoors is best. To get started, sow the seeds just one inch beneath the surface in a loose soil, with four inches between plants and eighteen to twenty four inches between rows. Beans need light, but even, watering. Because the leaves can become afflicted with disease if made wet, you should water as close to the root as possible.
If you do find that a leaf has become diseased, remove it from the plant immediately, as the disease can spread. You can begin harvesting beans when they are about three to five inches long; this will usually be around fifty to seventy days. Leaving mature beans on the plant can stop or slow production, so be sure to keep an eye on these rapid growers! Seeds can be stored in a cool dry place for future use!
Harvesting Blue Lake 274 Bush Beans
Most varieties of bush bean are ready to harvest at about 50-60 days from sowing or once the pods are 3-5" long. Harvest often to encourage fruiting and to ensure pods do not dehydrate on the vine. Although some pods may pull cleanly from the vine, use a knife or shears for more fibrous pods to avoid accidental damage to the plant. Like many crops in the garden, it is widely believed that beans are best harvested in the morning for optimal sugar content.
About Blue Lake 274 Bush Bean Garden Seeds
Blue Lake 274 is the classic bean that comes to mind when you think of a green bean. Known in the canning industry for years because of its reliability, huge yields, disease resistance and its ability to bear all at once making canning a much easier task. Blue Lake produces plump, tender, dark green pods that are about 5 1/2"s long. The bush itself only grows about 16" saving space in your garden, but producing big juicy yields. This is THE green bean for canning or freezing. Bush Blue Lake bean resists BCMV; tolerates NY15.
Bush bean, also known as snap bean, is one of the most popular annual vegetables grown in home gardens.
Germinating in just under a week, bush bean is harvestable as soon as 50-60 days and is an ideal introductory crop for children and beginners.
Unlike the prolific and vining pole bean, bush bean matures at about 18-24" tall without need for trellis support.
Persistent bush bean features fruiting pods of every color including red, purple, black, white, and yellow.
