Pole beans belong to the two main varieties of beans with the other one being bush beans. The difference is that, to grow poles beans, only less space is necessary as they grow on tall vines. Moreover, you only plant pole beans once.

As for bush beans, they can grow to around 18 inches tall and they can produce a large flush of beans at once. This makes them good for canning. The downside is that you need to plant them successively in order to enjoy harvestable crops for the whole season.

To grow pole beans, their tall vines can continuously produce throughout the growing season. Aside from that, growers prefer pole beans for the richer flavor as compared to bush beans.

Pole bean varieties include yellow, purple and green along with mottled colors. Their pods feature different sizes ranging from flat, long, meaty Italian beans to skinny, green French beans.

It is very easy to grow pole beans. Materials you will need include 14-inch plastic zip ties, six 8-ft. tall bamboo poles and bean seeds.

Step 1 - Build a sturdy teepee trellis which the pole beans can climb. Use a trowel to delineate your trellis base. To do this, draw a circle about 4 ft. in diameter. Then, build the tepee using 6 bamboo poles. There should be even spaces for the poles around the circle. Afterwards, drive each of the poles to the ground around 18 to 24 in. deep.

Step 2 - Create a teepee. You can do this by gathering the poles at the top. Then, secure the poles using a plastic zip tie. Make sure it's tight. Afterwards, clip the tail of the zip tie off.

Step 3 - To build more than a single tepee, there should be 8 ft. spaces on the rows. Afterwards, place a bamboo pole between them in a horizontal manner for additional support on the trellis.

Step 4 - Make a mound of soil that is about 3 inches tall and 6 inches in diameter. Then, plant 4 pole bean seeds in every mound. These seeds will germinate in about 7 to 14 days. Once the seeds reach 3 in. high, you can start thinning out the weakest seedlings. Just clip them off by the soil line using a pair of scissors.

Step 5 - Train your vines to go up the poles. Spread about two inches of grass clippings surrounding the base of the poles. This can conserve moisture as well as reduce possible weed problems. Although beans are able to tolerate dry soil, they also do best when you water them once a week.

Step 6 - Before you can even feel your bean seeds in the pods, harvest the pole beans already. To prevent fungal disease, it is best to harvest when foliage is dry. If you pull the beans off the vine, this can damage the plant. You can harvest them by pinching each bean off.

Since pole beans actually grow fast, it is best to harvest them thrice a week. This will ensure the tastiest pods and this also informs the plant that it needs to continue producing.

Step 7 - When eaten fresh, there is no doubt that beans taste the best. However, they can last up to 10 days with correct storage such as placing them inside perforated plastic bags. Then, put the bags inside the crisper drawer of your refrigerator.