As nitrogen-fixing plants, beans take nitrogen from the air and add it to the soil through nodules that are attached to their roots. Growing beans can be a great way to improve your soil and benefit the plants growing nearby. With the right companion plants for beans, you can have a more bountiful harvest!.
Partner planting is a cool trick from nature that will help your plants as long as the species get along in the garden. Some plants aren’t meant to be together, while others work in harmony and bring each other great benefits.
Let’s look at some plants that can grow with legumes and get nitrogen from their roots while also giving something back to the bean crop.
Green beans are a popular vegetable to grow in home gardens. They are easy to grow, productive, and delicious! However, like any plant, green beans can be susceptible to pests and diseases. One way to help prevent problems and improve your green bean harvest is to use companion planting. Companion planting is the practice of strategically planting different plants together so they can benefit each other. Certain plants make excellent companions for green beans by deterring pests, enhancing flavor, or improving soil health. Let’s explore some of the top companion plant options for green beans.
Why Use Companion Plants?
Companion planting offers numerous advantages for your green bean patch
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Pest control – Some plants naturally repel common green bean pests like aphids, spider mites, or bean beetles. This reduces the need for chemical pesticides.
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Improved pollination – Companion plants can attract pollinators like bees and butterflies which is important for green bean production.
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Enhanced flavor – Pairing green beans with herbs and aromatic plants can boost their flavor when harvested.
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Efficient use of space – You can grow multiple plants in the same area maximizing productivity.
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Soil health – Certain plants help enrich the soil with nutrients or provide shade/ground cover to preserve moisture.
Top Companion Plant Options
Pole Beans
Pole beans grow vertically on a trellis or pole. Tall companion plants can provide natural support:
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Corn – A traditional companion in the Three Sisters method, corn stalks make the perfect trellis for pole beans.
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Sunflowers – These tall blooms give pole beans something to climb. Their deep roots also break up soil.
Bush Beans
Bush beans grow as compact, low plants. They pair well with small companion plants:
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Lettuce & Spinach – These leafy greens provide shade for bush bean roots and deter weeds.
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Radishes – Quick growing radishes mature before beans, marking rows and suppressing weeds.
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Strawberries – Their low spread helps control weeds/erosion without competing for nutrients.
All Green Beans
Many herbs, flowers, and vegetables make great companions for any green bean variety:
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Marigolds – Their strong scent deters beetles, aphids, and other pests.
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Nasturtiums – Bright flowers that repel aphids and squash bugs.
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Petunias – Pretty blooms that help repel bean beetles.
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Garlic & Onions – Their pungent aroma deters aphids, rabbits, and deer.
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Peppers – Can deter cabbage loopers, a common pest of beans.
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Carrots & Beets – Have nutrients beans need and deter pests like aphids or mites.
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Cucumbers – Require similar conditions as beans and can deter beetles.
How to Use Companion Plants
There are a few different ways to incorporate companion plants in your green bean patch:
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Alternating rows – Plant a row of green beans, then a row of a companion like beets or onions. Repeat throughout the garden.
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Along edges – Border the outer edges of your green bean patch with marigolds, nasturtiums or other flowering companions.
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Within rows – Mix companion plants like lettuce or radishes directly in rows alongside green beans.
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Containers – Plant bush beans with petunias, herbs or other small companions in patio containers.
Make sure to give all plants adequate space and sunlight. Pay attention to mature sizes so companions don’t overcrowd your green beans later in the season. With the right companion plants, you can deter pests, increase pollination, and improve the flavor of your green bean harvest!
Companion Planting Guidelines
Follow these tips for success with green bean companion planting:
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Research possible companions and their mature size before planting.
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Allow at least 12-18 inches between green bean rows.
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Scatter companion seeds or alternate companion plants within rows.
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Plant tall trellis supports on north side of garden so they don’t shade beans.
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Use care when weeding around shallow rooted companions like lettuce or spinach.
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Provide plenty of water, especially during flowering and fruit set. Companions have needs too!
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Control weeds early on so companions establish well and can properly assist beans.
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Avoid over-fertilization which promotes leafy growth not fruit production in beans.
Best Companion Plants for Green Beans
Here is a quick summary of the top companion plant options for green beans:
Pest Control
- Marigolds
- Nasturtiums
- Onions & Garlic
- Petunias
Soil Health
- Corn
- Carrots
- Beets
- Lettuce & Spinach
Support & Shade
- Corn
- Sunflowers
- Pole Beans
Pollination
- Sunflowers
- Nasturtiums
- Marigolds
Flavor Enhancers
- Dill
- Cilantro
- Oregano
- Basil
Weed Suppression
- Lettuce
- Radishes
- Strawberries
Companion planting is an excellent way to boost your green bean harvest naturally. By inter-planting green beans with beneficial flowers, herbs, and vegetables you can deter common bean pests, attract pollinators, improve flavor, and create an abundant garden ecosystem. Some of the best companions are marigolds, nasturtiums, lettuce, corn, carrots, and beets. Follow basic guidelines for spacing, sunlight, and watering to allow both your green beans and companion plants to thrive. With the right plant pairings, you’ll be rewarded with a bountiful crop of healthy green beans.
What Is Companion Planting?
Companion planting allows plants to work together to maximize their success. Modern backyard gardening often separates plants into types. You might have a bed for tomatoes, a bed for beans, and a bed for flowers. It might look organized, but it’s not exactly efficient.
There will be beans, tomatoes, and flowers all in the same bed. The beans will add nitrogen to the tomatoes and flowers, the flowers will bring in pollinators, and the tomatoes will shade the flowers and beans. All are working together, and you’ll likely see a bigger harvest.
Before you plant in a shared bed, you should learn about what plants can do for a garden. Some might attract pests that will harm others, and a water-loving plant will keep your drought-tolerant plant unhappy. There are proven benefits to companion planting in your garden.
Beans as Companion Plants
A bean plant contributes nitrogen to the garden and can provide shade and ground cover.
What will a bean plant do for the garden? In general, it’s a nice plant that will get along with almost any vegetable.
The most obvious benefit of legume crops is their nitrogen-fixing capability! These crops are proven to improve soil nitrogen availability. You won’t need to fertilize much because they make their own fertility once established. When they’re planted next to other plants, their neighbors may benefit from that, too.
Beans can also provide shade and ground cover, depending on whether they are bush or pole varieties. Pole varieties can grow up trellises and provide shade, while bush varieties can cover the ground to keep it from washing away and protect the roots.
Like any other nutrient, too much nitrogen can be a bad thing. Too much nitrogen will make plants grow more leaves and fewer flowers or fruit. Nitrogen is what makes leaves grow. Once your beans are established, slowly add nitrogen so you don’t give them too much. The beans don’t need it, but your other plants do, and you don’t want to stress them out!
Beetles like to eat bean plants, so if you grow a lot of legumes, they can make the problem worse. These beetles look a lot like ladybugs and are related to them. However, they eat plant leaves instead of bugs, so you won’t want them around.
Companion Plants for Green Beans
FAQ
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