What to Plant After Green Beans

Green beans are a popular vegetable to grow in home gardens. They are relatively easy to grow, produce high yields, and can be eaten fresh or preserved for later use But after your green bean harvest is over, you need to think about how to best utilize that garden space. Crop rotation is key!

Why Crop Rotation Matters

Crop rotation refers to the practice of growing different types of crops in the same area across growing seasons It improves soil health and fertility while decreasing pest and disease problems Rotating crops from different plant families avoids depleting the soil of specific nutrients, It also helps break disease cycles and pest life cycles since they often prefer or target crops from a specific plant family,

So what should you plant after green beans to maintain healthy soil and plants? Here are some great options

Leafy Greens

Leafy greens like lettuce, spinach, kale, and chard are great to follow beans. Beans are legumes that take nitrogen from the air and convert it to a form plants can use through a process called nitrogen fixation. This leaves nitrogen readily available in the soil after beans. Leafy greens thrive with high nitrogen, so they make the perfect planting after a bean crop.

Some good leafy green varieties to try after beans include:

• Lettuce – Black Seeded Simpson, Oakleaf, Romaine
• Spinach – Bloomsdale Long Standing, Tyee
• Kale – Dwarf Blue Curled Scotch, Red Russian
• Chard – Fordhook Giant, Rainbow/Five Color

Root Crops

Root crops like carrots, beets, turnips, and radishes also make great succession plantings after beans. Their deep roots help break up and aerate the soil. Roots crops don’t require as much nitrogen and will balance out the soil after heavy nitrogen feeding crops like beans.

Some top root crop varieties include:

• Carrots – Danvers Half Long, Scarlet Nantes, Cosmic Purple
• Beets – Detroit Dark Red, Golden, Chioggia
• Turnips – Purple Top White Globe, Gold Ball
• Radishes – Champion, French Breakfast, Watermelon

Cole Crops

The cole crop family includes broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, and cabbage. This group thrives when planted after beans since they are heavy feeders that require high levels of nitrogen. Rotate them into your bean beds and they’ll reward you with ample harvests.

Some recommended cole crop varieties include:

• Broccoli – Green Magic, Arcadia
• Cauliflower – Snow Crown, Cheddar
• Brussels Sprouts – Long Island Improved, Falstaff
• Cabbage – Stonehead, Ruby Perfection, Savoy Ace
• Kohlrabi – Winner, Grand Duke

Cover Crops

Cover crops are another great option for planting after beans. These crops are grown to improve soil health and quality. As they grow, cover crop roots fix nitrogen and reduce soil erosion and compaction. Popular cover crops include cereals like wheat, rye, oats, and barley as well as legumes like vetch, peas, and clover. Cover crops can be cut down and tilled into the soil as “green manure” to add organic matter and nutrients back into the soil. This prepares the area for the next vegetable crop.

What Not to Plant After Beans

While beans leave nitrogen readily available in the soil, some crops should not follow beans in rotation:

• Nightshades: Tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and potatoes are nightshades. They can develop issues if planted in soil with too much nitrogen, resulting in extensive foliage but less fruiting.

• Vining crops: Cucumbers, melons, squash and pumpkins are vining crops. Too much nitrogen leads to excessive foliage instead of fruit production.

• Onions and garlic: Onions and garlic form bulbs best when nitrogen levels are lower. Excess nitrogen causes excessive top growth and smaller bulbs.

The Importance of Planning

Vegetable garden planning and mapping are important to make crop rotation work. Keep notes on what was planted where each season. Many vegetables should not return to the same soil for 3-5 years. Set up a proper rotation schedule that moves plant families around the garden from year to year. This will lead to healthier plants and more productive harvests from your garden!

Tips for Success When Rotating Crops

Here are some useful tips to get the most out of rotating crops in your garden:

• Grow in raised beds or square foot gardening plots. This makes it easy to dedicate beds to certain crops each season.

• Vary maturity dates. Follow quick maturing crops like radishes and lettuce with longer growing crops like tomatoes and peppers.

• Plant cover crops or amending crops during transition periods to build up soil.

• Space crops properly. Leafy greens can be densely planted while vines and fruiting crops need more room.

• Use compost to add nutrients back into soil and improve conditions.

• Mulch beds to retain moisture and reduce weeds. Grass clippings or straw work well.

• Keep good records to see patterns and plan future rotations.

Planning succession plantings through crop rotation keeps vegetable gardens healthier and more productive year after year. Follow your bean harvest by replenishing the soil with leafy greens, root crops, or cover crops. Avoid planting heavy nitrogen feeding nightshades or vines right after beans. A little planning goes a long way when it comes to crop rotation. Your soil and plants will thank you!