Bean Seeds

Fresh or dried, shelled or whole, beans are a favorite and easy to grow crop for home vegetable gardens. Beans grow with little care, produce a bounty of pods, and can add nitrogen back into the soil. In addition, beans are so nutritious that the latest dietary guidelines recommend we triple our current intake from one to three cups per week!

• 45 bean seed varieties
• Very simple to grow and do well in most gardens and soil types
• Best if sown outdoors after the last spring frost
• Prefers full sun exposure

A must-have vegetable in the garden, choose from either pole, bush or runner varieties. Pole beans take up hardly any room in your garden and can actually be planted along a fence or any other vertical support. Enjoy the bevy of colors provided by beans, be it green, yellow, purple or red.

Beans are the seeds of numerous genera of flowering plants in the Fabaceae family that are used as vegetables for both human and animal use. They are used in many traditional recipes around the world and can be cooked in a variety of methods, including boiling, frying, and baking. The word "bean" has existed since before the 12th century in West Germanic languages. The term was extended to pod-borne seeds of Phaseolus, such as the common bean and the runner bean, and the related genus Vigna after contact between Europe and the Americas during the Columbian era. Many other seeds with similar forms, such as Old World soybeans, peas, various vetches, and lupins, as well as those with only a passing resemblance, such as coffee beans, vanilla beans, castor beans, and cocoa beans, have long been referred to as coffee beans. As a result, the name "bean" can apply to a variety of distinct species.

Beans are a summer crop, thus needing warm weather to properly grow and flourish. On average, maturity is reached 55 to 60 days from planting to harvest. Bean plants are vines that require some external support. Native Americans customarily grew them alongside squash and corn, allowing the corn stalks to provide support for the beans. Perhaps you've heard of the three sisters- this refers to the harmonious aforementioned trio.

There are countless varieties of beans to choose from. Often times, selecting your variety can be the hardest part. That said, once you have chosen your beans, proper planting in key. If you are new to growing beans, be sure to do your research on each variety you are planting to ensure that you are providing the proper environment and care.

For more information about planting, growing, and caring for beans, see our Bean Seeds Planting Guides: Pole Beans, Bush Beans, Fava Beans, Edamame Beans