'Bush Blue Lake' Beans Seeds

55 days. Unique flavor and slow fiber and seed development in the pod make this strain popular for fresh market or processing. Yellow, pods average 6 in./15 cm, dwarf bushy plants are tolerant to BV-1; NY-15.

SOWING RATE: 2 oz./57 g sows 18 ft./6 m of row; 1/2 lb./227 g sows 75 ft./23 m; 60-80 lbs./27-36 kg per acre depending on variety. Most growers plan for 100,000-105,000 live plants per acre by sowing 110,000-115,000 seeds per acre @ 90% germ.

CULTURE: Sow every 10 days - from May 20th. (use Captan treated seed for early sowings) providing the soil temperature is 60°F/16°C until July 30th. Untreated seed should not be planted until ground temperature reaches an average daytime temperature of 65?F/18?C (In our region - June 10th.). Granular Nature's Aid applied in the row will increase yields for both treated and untreated seed. Space seeds 2-4 in./5-10 cm apart, in rows 24-30 in./61-76 cm apart. Sow beans fairly shallow - about 1 in./25 mm deep (1 1/2 in./3cm maximum). Most commercial growers fertilize before sowing. Smaller growers can apply after sowing in bands 2 in./5 cm deep, on each side of the seeded row. In either case, seed must not touch concentrated fertilizer.

 

GERMINATION: Beans require a minimum soil temperature of 60°F/16°C and a maximum of 75°F/24°C. They will not germinate properly if planted too deeply or too early in cold wet ground.

CULTIVATION: Do not cultivate after a rain or too early in the morning when plants are wet. This causes bean rust, anthracnose or blight and helps to spread mosaic. Improper use of rotary hoes by the grower, can destroy 10% of the emerging crop.

INSECT DAMAGE: Watch out for ground hogs or woodchucks as the tender shoots emerge from the soil. Chief villain is the Mexican Beetle which can be controlled with Sevin or Malathion as it appears or dust with Rotenone. If you are organic, try planting marigolds between the rows or garlic in each hill of beans. As a last resort introduce praying mantis and hope they don't wander into your neighbor's fields for their next meal. 2 oz./57 g contains 150 - 200 seeds.

 

MATURITY DATES: Since beans are very sensitive to cool soil temperatures, all our days to maturity are calculated from germination to harvest. Just like sweet corn, colder clay loam soils can delay emergence on earlier 47-54 day varieties, especially if you choose white seeded types. On sandy loam or gravel soils, where heat units are higher, the dates should be accurate. Allow 5-7 days more on cold, wet soils. Wet weather will cause runners.