Organic Fertilizers

• Organic fertilizers are safer to use. They won't burn or damage plants or destroy beneficial organisms that enrich the soil. Additionally, the beans won't contain any toxic residues.
  
  

Chemical Fertilizers

• Chemical fertilizers are less expensive and easier to use. However, they tend to leach out of the soil, requiring reapplication. They also can burn plant roots and kill beneficial organisms, causing later soil infertility. Overuse is a common problem.
  
  

Fertilizing Beans

• Beans don't need a lot of fertilizer. Amend the soil with compost and use a low-nitrogen fertilizer.
  
  

Planting Beans

• Plant beans when all danger of frost is passed. The seeds will rot if planted in cold, wet ground. Plant the seeds 1/2 inch deep and space the seeds 2 to 3 inches apart. Thin the plants to 18 inches apart when they are 3 inches tall.
  
  

Growing Green Beans

• Beans come in hundreds of varieties and are fast and easy to grow. They enrich the soil by fixing nitrogen from the air in the soil for roots to use.