Summer is just around the corner and it’s time to start planning your vegetable garden! This year consider planting bush beans together with tomatoes for a bountiful harvest.
Growing beans and tomatoes together makes excellent use of your garden space and soil nutrients. These plants form a symbiotic relationship that enhances the growth and production of both. Here’s an overview of the benefits of interplanting beans and tomatoes as well as tips for success.
Why Beans and Tomatoes Make Great Companions
Beans and tomatoes thrive when grown together for several reasons
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Soil fertility: Beans are nitrogen-fixing plants, which means they take nitrogen from the air and convert it into a form that enriches the soil. This nitrogen is used by the tomatoes, promoting lush foliage growth and bigger, tastier fruits.
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Space efficiency: Bush beans grow vertically, not sprawling on the ground like pole beans. This upright growth habit doesn’t compete for space with spreading tomato plants. More can be grown in less space.
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Pest control: Beans repel aphids, beetles and other pests that may bother tomatoes. The diversity of the plants in a bean/tomato patch makes it harder for predators to establish themselves.
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Weed suppression: Beans grow quickly and form a canopy that helps suppress weeds and retain moisture in the soil. Less weeding means less work for you!
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Extended harvest: Beans mature rapidly, producing pods ready for picking within 50-60 days. Tomatoes need much warmer weather and take at least 70-80 days to bear fruit. Staggered harvest times give a longer season of fresh vegetables.
Tips for Growing Beans and Tomatoes Together
Locating your beans and tomatoes in the right arrangement optimizes their growth. Here are some tips:
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Plant pole beans on the north side of tomatoes. Their vines can use the tomato cages or stakes for support without competing for sunlight.
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For bush beans, plant them on the south side of the tomatoes. The tomato will shade the beans later in the season when hottest summertime temps arrive.
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Allow plenty of room between plants for air circulation and ease of picking. Plant tomatoes 18-24 inches apart; bush beans 6-8 inches apart.
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Provide a trellis or cage for the tomatoes to climb. Staking keeps fruits off the ground and avoids soil-borne diseases.
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Use soaker hoses or drip irrigation to water at soil level. Wet tomato leaves are susceptible to fungal diseases like blight.
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Apply 2-3 inches of mulch around both vegetables to retain moisture and reduce weeds. Shredded leaves, straw or grass clippings work well.
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Fertilize when planting with a natural organic vegetable fertilizer, mixed into the soil according to label directions. Side dress with a nitrogen fertilizer when tomatoes start flowering.
Excellent Bean Varieties for Companion Planting
Many types of bush beans pair well with tomatoes. Look for these top-rated varieties:
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Provider: A classic heirloom with heavy yields of 5-6 inch straight, rounded pods. Tolerates heat extremely well. Pods stay tender even as beans mature.
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Contender: Vigorous plants produce 5 1⁄2 inch pods over an extended harvest. Tolerant to common bean diseases.
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Jade: Impressive yields on compact, upright bushes. Stringless pods keep longer after picking compared to other green beans.
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Maxibel: Extra-long, slim French filet-type beans grow 5-6 inches. Pods stay stringless with a delicate flavor.
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Roc D’or: Butter yellow wax beans grow on productive plants. Slow to develop seeds for tender, rich flavor.
Get a Jump Start with Transplants
Growing tomato transplants from seed indoors gives them a head start on the summer growing season. Follow these tips:
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Start seeds 6-8 weeks before your last expected spring frost date. Use a seed starting mix in cell packs or containers.
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Place seeds 1⁄4 inch deep, keep moist and provide plenty of light. Thin seedlings to the strongest one per cell when the first true leaves appear.
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Harden off plants before transplanting by setting them outdoors in a sheltered spot for a few hours daily.
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Transplant tomatoes outdoors when all danger of frost has passed. Set plants deep, burying much of the stem to promote root growth.
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Use the timeframe while indoor plants are growing to prepare the garden beds with compost and fertilizer.
Enjoy an Abundant Harvest All Summer Long
With proper planting and care, your bean and tomato patch will supply a steady harvest for weeks on end! Both veggies are at their peak of flavor immediately after picking―the sunshine-sweet taste of cherry tomatoes right off the vine can’t be beat.
Beans are incredibly versatile kitchen staples. Enjoy them fresh in salads, sautéed as a side, or simmered into hearty soups and stews. Blanche and freeze extra beans to keep that summer garden goodness around all year long.
Tomatoes also freeze well for later use in salsas, sauces and sandwiches. Or oven-roast a batch to concentrate the flavors―delicious on pizza, bruschetta and pasta dishes.
With a dual crop of bush beans and tomatoes, your garden will pump out pounds of produce for minimal work. Plant a patch this year and enjoy nature’s bounty!
Planting Tomatoes and Bush Beans – Homestead vlogs
FAQ
What not to plant with bush beans?
Are bush beans good for tomato plants?
One added advantage of using bush beans is that it may deter the growth of weeds due to their dense growth habit. The bush beans may improve air circulation and reduce the susceptibility of tomato plants to diseases. The companion planting of tomatoes and beans may help in saving space.
Can you grow tomatoes with beans?
Beans are an excellent companion plant for many crops, including tomatoes, since they fix nitrogen in the soil. Tomatoes are heavy nitrogen feeders so growing them with beans means that the soil can be constantly replenished and won’t be depleted by the end of the season.
Are bush beans a good companion plant for Tomatoes?
Yes, bush beans are a good companion plant for tomatoes in a vegetable garden. They help improve soil fertility by fixing nitrogen, which benefits the tomatoes. Additionally, bush beans have a shallow root system that doesn’t compete with the deeper roots of tomatoes, making them a compatible pair.
Can a tomato plant grow with a bean trellis?
Tomatoes and beans are frost-sensitive plants that may thrive well as companions due to similar growing conditions. Pole beans may be grown on the same trellis as tomatoes. Bush beans may be interplanted between tomato plants. Tomatoes need nitrogen in the soil, and beans can fix nitrogens into the soil.