Plant Library
Blue Lake Bush Bean
Phaseolus vulgaris 'Blue Lake Bush'
Height: 18 inches
Spacing: 6 inches
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: (annual)
Description:
A beautiful compact bushy variety, producing high yields all season long; 6 inch long, dark green pods that are string-less, plump and flavorful; perfect for fresh eating, canning and freezing; harvest early and often to encourage season long production
Edible Qualities
Blue Lake Bush Bean is an annual vegetable plant that is typically grown for its edible qualities. The entire above-ground parts of the plant are edible, and can be harvested at any time in the season. The edible parts have a delicious taste and a crisp texture.
The plant is most often used in the following ways:
- Fresh Eating
- Cooking
- Drying
- Pickling
- Freezing
Planting & Growing
Blue Lake Bush Bean will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 16 inches. When planted in rows, individual plants should be spaced approximately 6 inches apart. This fast-growing vegetable plant is an annual, which means that it will grow for one season in your garden and then die after producing a crop.
This plant is typically grown in a designated vegetable garden. It should only be grown in full sunlight. It does best in average conditions that are neither too wet nor too dry, and is very intolerant of standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is quite intolerant of urban pollution, therefore inner city or urban streetside plantings are best avoided. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone over the growing season to conserve soil moisture. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America, and it is considered by many to be an heirloom variety.
Blue Lake Bush Bean is a good choice for the vegetable garden, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing the canvas against which the larger thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
