- 1). Prepare planting area by turning peat moss into the soil. Green beans require humusy soil that does not contain excessive nutrients. Peat moss has little nutritional value, but it stores soil nutrients that would otherwise be leached out of the soil, and slowly releases them as plants need them. ("How to use sphagnum peat moss")
- 2). Cover planting area with black plastic to help warm the soil, about two weeks before planting. Green bean seeds planted too early, in cold, moist soil, may rot prior to germination.
- 3). Add inoculants of nitrogen-fixing bacteria to the seeds or directly into the soil, when ready to plant. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria aide the plant in making better use of nitrogen that it gets from the air and increases plant yields.
- 4). Plant green bean seeds in single or double rows, spaced 3 inches apart, about 1 inch deep, well after last frost. Pat down soil over seeds lightly, so as not to compact it. To ensure a continuous harvest, make several smaller successive plantings, rather than planting the whole crop at once.
- 5). Keep soil moist, watering twice a day until seedlings become established. Regular watering will increase crop yields, and it is especially important when plants are in flower. Mulch helps to retain moisture, as well as keeping down weeds.
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