Cherokee Wax Yellow Bush Bean: 20 Seeds

Beans should be planted in spring after the last frost has occurred. Beans will germinate best once soil temps have reached 65 F or higher. Optimal germination temperature is around 77 F. Seeds can require 8 to 16 days to germinate, depending on the soil temperature.

Space them about 2 to 4 inches apart, setting the seeds about 2 inches below the soil line and covering well.  Thin the seedlings to 6 to 8 inches apart, and begin training them up a pole or other support from a young age. If picked promptly, the crop should continue through fall, until nipped back by cold weather.

During the growth, mulch the plants in well to keep moisture in the soil. Beans are shallow-rooted, and they can be watered several times a week in the heat of the summer. Light feeders, they actually improve the soil as they grow, helping fix nitrogen that plants need for optimal growth.

For continual production, succession plant every couple of weeks throughout the spring and early summer. And after you harvest the last delicious bean, be sure to chop up the plants and plow them right back into the soil. You'll have a great head start on next year's crop by building up the soil.