Blue Lake is the classical green bean. They are the first beans I ever grew. They are one of the easiest seeds to find. If a place sells seeds, they probably are going to carry Blue Lake. Why do people love them so much? They are reliable and heavy producers. If this is your first time gardening, I think this is an excellent place to start.
When to Plant
After the risk of frost in your area has passed. For me that is actually today May 25th (I live in zone 5). If you want your harvest to go on longer, keeping planting every couple weeks until 8 weeks before the first fall frost.
Days to Germinate
Beans are very quick to germinate, in about a week, they should start poking their way through the soil.
Planting Depth
Plant your seeds to depth about 1 Β½ inches. I usually push them down until the dirt reaches just above the knuckle of my pointer finger.
Thinning Plants
Once the plants have 4 leaves, it's time to thin them out. Give each plant about 4 inches of space to grow.
Expected Harvest
Beans are a fast growing crop. I can expect to have my first harvest in about 55 days. I planted my beans on Sunday, May 23rd, 2010. So I expect the first harvest to be around Saturday, July 17th.
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