Pole Bean Blue Lake

Pole Bean Blue Lake: variety and characteristics

Pole Bean Blue Lake (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is an annual vegetable of the Legume family (Fabaceae). This variety produces large yields of straight, smooth, 15 cm long pods that are crisp and stringless.

Like other legumes, they require some kind of support or pergola.

For a tender texture, harvest the beans while young and juicy.

For best yields keep picking throughout the season, or the plant will stop producing.

You can dry the beans to store them, or cook them soon after harvest.

Beans are a good source of vitamin C, folate and iron and are high in fibre.

French beans are easy, quick and very productive — about 55–65 days pass from sowing to first harvest. Dwarf varieties need no support, while climbing ones cover fences and crop for longer.

Key features

• Measured germination rate of the batch: 97%
• Seeds per packet: 34–46 pcs (10 g)
• Seed origin: China
• Sowing: April and May; direct
• Harvest: July and August
• Position: sunny spot

When to sow Pole Bean Blue Lake

Pole Bean Blue Lake seeds are sown in April and May. The crop is harvested in July and August. The months are a guide for a temperate climate — in warmer areas sow 1–2 weeks earlier, in cooler or upland areas, later.

How to sow and grow Pole Bean Blue Lake

• Sowing method: direct
• Depth: 3–4 cm
• Spacing: 8–10 cm in the row, 40–50 cm between rows (dwarf); 20–25 cm with support (climbing)
• Germination: 6–10 days at 18–25 °C
• Position: sunny spot

Early sowings can be made in a greenhouse at a temperature of 16°C, sowing 3 seeds per 8 cm pot filled with seed compost. Outdoor sowings can be made from May onwards in the growing position at a depth of 5 cm. Sow 2-3 seeds every 20-30 cm. apart, with rows 60 cm apart. apart. The plants are hungry, so the soil should be well prepared and fertilised the previous autumn. Use well-drained, warm soil in full sun. Seedlings sown indoors should be hardened off gradually before planting out in late May at the spacing above, once all risk of frost has passed.

Sow directly when the soil is above 12 °C — in cold soil the seeds rot. Do not feed with nitrogen: beans supply their own. Water during flowering and pod set.

Harvest and use

Pick the pods young and crisp, every 2–3 days — this encourages the plant to set new ones.

Frequently asked questions

When should Pole Bean Blue Lake be sown?

The recommended sowing months are April and May. Sowing method: direct.

How many seeds are in the packet?

The packet contains 34–46 seeds, pack size 10 g.

What is the germination rate of the seeds?

The measured germination rate of this batch is 97%. The test was carried out under controlled laboratory conditions; in the field, emergence depends on soil, temperature and moisture.

When are beans sown?

Directly outdoors from late April to July, once the soil has warmed up. For a long harvest, sow in 2–3 batches every 3 weeks.

Do beans need to be soaked before sowing?

Not necessarily; a short soak (2–4 hours) speeds up germination, but a longer one can crack the seeds.