How to Grow Blue Lake Pole Bean
Phaseolus vulgaris 'Blue Lake Pole'
Blue Lake Pole Beans are a popular warm-season variety favored for their tender pods and vigorous climbing habit. Gardeners prize this heirloom bean for its reliability in hot climates and ability to produce continuously when supported properly.
📷 Wikimedia CommonsStarting Blue Lake Pole Bean: indoors or direct sow?
🌾 Sow directly in the garden — Blue Lake Pole Bean is not usually started indoors.
Direct sow seeds outdoors only after all danger of frost has passed and soil temperatures have warmed sufficiently for germination.
Soil, care & harvest
Prepare your soil by ensuring it is loose, well-draining, and has a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. As a warm-season crop, you must wait until after the last spring frost when the ground has warmed up before sowing directly outdoors. Do not start indoors or transplant early; these beans are sensitive to cold soil and frost. Sow seeds about one inch deep in full sun.
Space plants four to six inches apart with poles three feet apart for support, as this variety requires a trellis to climb effectively. Provide an inch of water per week, avoiding overhead watering to keep leaves dry. Apply mulch around the base to retain moisture and suppress weeds, but ensure good air circulation to prevent fungal issues.
Watch for bean beetles, aphids, and spider mites; encourage beneficial insects or spray with insecticidal soap if infestations occur. Monitor for bacterial blight, rust, and anthracnose by avoiding overhead watering and ensuring good airflow. Harvest pods sixty to sixty-five days after sowing when they are young and tender before the seeds inside harden.
When to Plant Blue Lake Pole Bean
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | — | July – August | October – August |
| Zone 2 | — | June – August | September |
| Zone 3 | — | June – July | September – October |
| Zone 4 | — | June – July | August – October |
| Zone 5 | — | May – June | August – October |
| Zone 6 | — | May – June | August – September |
| Zone 7 | — | April – June | July – September |
| Zone 8 | — | April – May | July – August |
| Zone 9 | — | March – April | June – July |
| Zone 10 | — | February – April | May – July |
| Zone 11 | — | January – March | April – June |
| Zone 12 | — | January – March | April – June |
| Zone 13 | — | January – March | April – June |
Companion Plants for Blue Lake Pole Bean
✓ Good companions
Beans fix nitrogen in soil which carrots utilize, carrots help aerate soil for bean roots
Provides natural trellis support for climbing beans, creates classic Three Sisters polyculture
Both are climbing plants that share space efficiently, beans provide nitrogen cucumbers need
Act as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles, attract beneficial predatory insects
Quick-growing radishes break up soil for bean roots and are harvested before beans need full space
Aromatic oils repel bean beetles and other pests, perennial herb complements annual beans
Low-growing strawberries use different soil levels, benefit from nitrogen fixation by beans
Large leaves provide ground cover to retain soil moisture, benefits from nitrogen fixed by beans
✗ Keep away from
Produces allelopathic compounds that inhibit growth and germination of beans and most vegetables
Inhibit bean growth and nitrogen fixation through root secretions and soil chemistry changes
Compete heavily for nutrients and water, allelopathic compounds inhibit bean germination
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
