Not all beans need additional nutrients after planting. We show which beans need them and what needs to be considered when fertilizing.
Whether garden beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) or field beans (Vicia faba) (also called broad beans) - beans should not be in any garden absence. They provide valuable vegetable protein and are good for the garden soil. They like it sunny and warm in the garden and prefer a humus-rich and deep soil. If you pay attention to this, you should be sure of a rich bean harvest. But in addition to the right location and the ideal soil, a good supply of nutrients also plays a decisive role in the yield, because not all beans have the same nutrient requirements. And some species require almost no fertilization at all.
Do you have to fertilize beans at all? And when do you fertilize them? Which fertilizers are suitable and what is the best way to proceed? We have answered these questions for you in this article.
Do you have to fertilize beans?
Beans belong to the legume family (Fabaceae) and are legumes. Legumes have the wonderful property of entering into a symbiosis with nodule bacteria. These are able to fix atmospheric nitrogen and make it accessible to the plant. This means that nitrogen-poor soils are improved and soil fertility is maintained. So do you have to fertilize beans at all?
Before beans can provide themselves with nitrogen, the plants should be helped through the first starvation period after planting. As soon as it is a hand's breadth high, the bean creates the nitrogen supply on its own. Furthermore, beans not only need nitrogen, but also other important nutrients to grow, such as phosphorus and potassium. Therefore, fertilization can make sense.
In addition, not all beans are created equal when it comes to their requirements. The low-growing bush beans (Phaseolus vulgaris var. nanus) are weak feeders and therefore veryfrugal. They no longer need fertilizer after planting. The climbing and high-growing pole beans (Phaseolus vulgaris var. vulgaris), on the other hand, are among the medium eaters and are a bit more demanding. They also want to be fertilized a little during the growing season and then give you a rich harvest.
When to fertilize beans?
Beans can be grown outdoors, in a greenhouse or in a pot. When planting the beans, you should make sure that the soil is enriched with sufficient nutrients. In a site with poor soil, you can amend the soil with mature compost or a slow release organic fertilizer before planting. With our Plantura organic tomato fertilizer you create optimal conditions for your beans to grow right from the start. This not only has a positive and gentle effect on beans of all kinds, but also on the soil and the animals in your garden. The granules of our Plantura fertilizers dissolve when water is added when watering and are then decomposed by hard-working microorganisms in the soil. These make the nutrients available to the plant and release them slowly and gently to the plant.
Bush beans and field beans then no longer need fertilization. Now the nitrogen-fixing bacteria are active and supply the plants with nutrients. The situation is different with runner beans. They appreciate extra fertilizer during the growing season. Here you can fertilize again at the first flowering. If required, fertilization is then carried out again until harvest.
When are beans fertilized?
- All beans: basic fertilization in spring when planting in the garden
- Bush and broad beans: no further fertilization
- Polar Beans: After flowering and again until harvest as needed
Fertilize beans in the bed
From mid-May, after the ice saints, you can plant the frost-sensitive beans in the garden bed. Beans feel comfortable in the greenhouse from mid-April. Even if bush beans and field beans need little nutrients, basic fertilization before planting is part of it. This is absolutely necessary for the runner beans. In order to be able to fix nitrogen really well, the nodule bacteria need sufficient phosphorus. This is provided by the basic fertilization when planted in the garden.
So prepare the soil well for the beans before planting. Add some fertilizer in granular form - for example our Plantura organic tomato fertilizer - to the planting hole anddon't forget to water enough. You can also enrich particularly poor or structurally poor soil with some compost. These natural fertilizers not only provide your beans with valuable nutrients, but also help to improve the soil structure and thus also the water holding capacity and heat storage of the soil.
Field beans and French beans no longer need any further fertilization. Fertilize pole beans again after flowering. Depending on requirements, the runner beans can then be supplied with a small amount of fertilizer again after about six to eight weeks.
How are beans fertilized in the bed?
- Provide the beans with long-lasting organic fertilizer when planting out
- Incorporate compost into the soil on lean, structurally poor soil
- Water well so that the granules can loosen
- Fertilize the runner beans with little fertilizer after flowering
- Another application of fertilizer after 6 - 8 weeks if necessary
Fertilize beans in the pot
If the substrate that you use in the pot or balcony box is not already pre-fertilized, it makes sense to enrich the substrate with nutrients before planting or sowing. Simply work a long-term fertilizer in granular form - such as our Plantura organic tomato fertilizer - into the substrate. After planting or sowing, water the substrate well so that the little plants can develop well and the granulate can dissolve.
Even in the pot, bush beans and field beans are content with the basic fertilization and grow very well without further doses. But as in the bed, runner beans in the pot need to be fertilized throughout the growing season. The first fertilizer is applied after flowering. Depending on the type of fertilizer you choose, the fertilization intervals vary. With a fertilizer with an organic long-term effect, such as our Plantura organic tomato fertilizer, it is sufficient if you re-fertilize in small amounts every five to seven weeks. With a mineral liquid fertilizer, the intervals are shorter, every three to five weeks it should be fertilized again.
How to fertilize beans in a pot?
- Incorporate some slow-release fertilizer when planting
- Keep the substrate moist so that the granulate can dissolve
- Don't fertilize bush beans and broad beans anymore
- Runnel beans every 5 - 7 weeks with long-acting organic fertilizerfertilize
- Alternatively, fertilize every 3 - 5 weeks with a mineral liquid fertilizer
The right fertilizer for beans
Which fertilizer is used for your beans is of course up to you. After all, there are many different ways you can get the most nutrition from your beans. To help you make your decision, we have summarized a few aspects below that you should consider when choosing a fertilizer.
Fertilize beans primarily organically
If pole beans are not fertilized enough, this has a negative effect on the harvest. Over-fertilization or an unbalanced and incorrect supply of nutrients harms both the plant and the environment. In addition, the nodule bacteria on the roots of all types of beans need sufficient nutrients to be able to fix enough nitrogen. For this purpose, phosphorus should be available for as long as possible - even after fertilization. A fertilizer with an organic long-term effect offers a great advantage in these aspects. Thanks to the granulate form, it can be dosed well and thus reduces the risk of over-fertilization. Due to the long-term effect, the phosphorus and other nutrients are gradually released and are available to both the plant and the bacteria for longer.
Other benefits of organic slow release fertilizer:
- Activation of soil life and sustainable improvement of soil structure
- Particularly gentle on the environment by not using chemicals
Our Plantura organic tomato fertilizer with organic long-term effect satisfies these criteria to your complete satisfaction and thus offers the ideal nutrient supply for your beans. In addition to nitrogen, it also contains sufficient potassium and phosphorus. These are responsible for good root formation and the resilience of the beans. In addition, the fertilizer is particularly resource-friendly and sustainable thanks to the use of residues from the food, luxury food and animal feed industries. By not using synthetic ingredients, the fertilizer is also climate-friendly.
Fertilization with organic long-term effects - instructions and dosage amounts for beans:
- Before planting: 15 - 35 g/m² (1 to 3 tablespoons) of our Plantura organic tomato fertilizer in the top soil layersincorporate or mix about 1 g/litre (1/4 teaspoon) into the substrate for a pot culture
- Water the base well after inserting it so that the granules can loosen
- In the case of runner beans, you should fertilize again after flowering with 10 - 30 g/m² (1 to 2 heaped tablespoons) or about 1 g/liter for a pot culture
- Repeat this application of fertilizer in the garden bed after 6 - 8 months, in the pot after 5 - 7 weeks
Fertilize beans with minerals
Blue grain, liquid fertilizers and the like offer the advantage that the nutrients from the fertilizer are immediately available for the plants and do not have to be converted by bacteria first, but mineral fertilizers are not suitable for beans. Most of the time, they contain far too much nitrogen, which the beans don't even need. The superfluous nutrients cannot be absorbed and then pollute the soil and the water. Ultimately, this also damages the plant. Organic fertilizers with a long-term effect, on the other hand, provide beans with all the important nutrients over a longer period of time and are significantly gentler on animals, people and the environment.
Fertilize beans with home remedies
Unfortunately, home remedies for fertilizing beans are mostly unsuitable. Manure or nettle manure is not good for beans as they contain too much nitrogen that the plants don't need. Well rotted compost is better suited. This not only contains important nutrients for your beans, but also ensures a better soil structure and an active soil life.
Before you can fertilize your beans, they first have to be planted. You can find out how this works and what to look out for in our special article on planting beans.