1. Beans & Peas in Your Vegetable Garden
Jon Traunfeld
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2. ORGANIZATIONAL FLOW CHART
This flow chart represents how the UME Master Gardener program fits into the larger University of Maryland system.
The University of Maryland is the state’s flagship land-grant institution. It has 13 different Colleges and Schools. One college is the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGNR) has three parts: Academics, Research, and Extension. Campus faculty in the College of AGNR spend their time teaching college students (Academics) and conducting Research. University of Maryland Extension field faculty (and some campus faculty) serve Maryland through outreach and education programs (Extension).
University of Maryland Extension has over thirty different outreach and educational programs spanning across Maryland.
In order to reach more people in their communities, faculty often teach volunteers, who can then share their new knowledge locally. One volunteer education program where this happens is the UME Master Gardener program. This program is supported by University of Maryland Extension and its mission is to educate Maryland residents about safe, effective, and sustainable horticultural practices.

3. UME Master Gardener volunteers are typically involved in projects focusing on one of six main topic areas. Additional focus areas (e.g., Therapeutic Horticulture) do exist.
Ask a Master Gardener Plant Clinic: Outreach education about plant and pest problems. Residents get their questions answered at plant clinics typically held at libraries and farmers markets.
Grow It Eat It: Teaching and promoting backyard and community food production. This also includes demonstration gardens, Grow It Eat It Preserve It, and produce donations to food banks.
Bay-Wise: Better water and soil quality through smarter gardening.
Pollinators: Education around integrated pest management (IPM), pollinators, and natural enemies.
Composting: Also known as "Urban Nutrient Management" which includes education about backyard/community composting, soil testing and improvement, and fertilizer use.
Native Plants: Education and project work around native plants and invasive plants.

4. Garden to table!
Photos clockwise from top left: ‘Provider’ bush bean plants flowering; ‘Fortex’ pole beans ready to harvest (photo: Carol Gustafson); weighing the harvest because food gardeners are insane; one of Nancy Robson’s spectacular dishes! (Nancy is a Queen Anne’s Co. MG and GIEI blogger;

5. All in the family… Green bean (bush and pole)
Lima bean (bush and pole)
Shell beans
Garden pea/edible pod pea
Cowpea
Soybean
Scarlet runner bean
Peanut
These are all members of the Leguminosae (a.k.a Fabaceae) plant family and are referred to as legumes
Third largest family of flowering plants after orchid and daisy families and second most important family in human diet after grass family (wheat, rye, barley, rice).
Protein content of dry bean/pea seed is 2-3 times higher (20-25%) than grains, as a result of symbiosis with soil bacteria- Rhizobium genus. Soybean is even higher. Plant uses available N to build amino acids.
The FAO defines pulses as annual legumes harvested for dry seed.
Peas (Pisum sativum) originated in fertile crescent of SW Asia;
Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris); scarlet runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus); and lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus) all have Mesoamerica as centres of origin. Other species are mostly Old World.; 20 cultivated species.
Notable beans from Europe and SW Asia- fava and broad bean chickpea, lentil, pea,
Notable beans from India and East Asia- soybean, mung bean, hyacinth bean, azuki bean, sword bean, winged bean
Notable beans from Africa- cowpea (crowder pea)
Notable beans from Central and South America- common bean, lima bean, scarlet runner bean, tepary bean, peanut
Peas
Garden peas (aka English peas or shell peas) and edible pod (snap peas) are two general garden types.
Pea shoots and tendrils are edible.
Cool-season annual. Plants grow best from degrees F.
Can be planted once air temp. is above 40 degrees F. Plants can take light frost but a severe frost/freeze at flowering can damage blooms and pods. Temperatures above 80 degrees F. during bloom and pod set can begin to reduce yields.
Beans- 10,000 years of breeding has given larger seeds, reduced fibre, and more compact forms. Modern bean flowering is not photoperiod sensitive. Seeds are white, brown, or mottled. Flageolet (haricot vert) seed is green
Germination: soil temp should be >50 degrees F. for rapid germination. Large-seed cultivars will germinate more quickly under low temperature conditions. ‘Royal Burgundy’ germinates well in cooler soil.
‘Borlotto’, an heirloom shell bean

6. Other edible legumes Fava bean flowers Garbanzo bean (chickpea)
Lablab (hyacinth) bean
Tepary bean
Pigeonpea
Lentil
Fava bean
Of these, lablab and fava are he two most likely seen in MD gardens.
Fava beans make best growth during cool spring weather. Many Central MD gardeners plant in the fall. If winter is not severe the plants will grow rapidly in spring and be ready for harvest in June. Early spring planted fava bean plants may encounter high temperatures before the seeds fill out which can reduce yields.
For best eating quality green beans are harvested when seeds start to fill out (1/4 of full size) before they reach a mature size. Shell beans (‘October’ bean, ‘French Horticultural’, and ‘Borlotto’ bean) are grown for the full-size, but still tender seeds. Lima beans are alsoo shell beans. The pods are harvested and schucked to release the delicious bean seeds for cooking.
Garbanzo- 20% of worldwide pulse production. VSU research to help VA farmers grow chickpeas for Sabra plant:
The chickpeas Sabra now uses come from various states, most from the Pacific Northwest, according to Tuzel. Bhardwaj said he is trying to find out if Virginia’s agro climatic conditions are suitable for commercial growing of chickpeas. They’re grown in Canada and the northwest United States and India and Pakistan and Turkey and other countries, he said. They are a cold weather crop and in India, for example, they are planted in the fall and harvested in the spring, summer, he said. ‘Billy Bean’ is cultivar used on 3-acre plot in 2014.
Fava bean flowers
Photo: Luke Gustafson

7. Beans popular in Asian cuisine
Soybean
Yard-long bean
Sword bean
Winged bean

8. Add pea flowers and shoots to salads
Two snow pea varieties
Photo: Erica Smith
Add pea flowers and shoots to salads
‘Sugar Snap’ peas
Photo: Kent Phillips

9. Reasons to grow legumes
Most grow well in MD; good beginner crop
Lots of different types
You get a lot from a small space
Multiple crops each season
Easy to save seed
Can be frozen, canned, pickled, and dried
“Fix” nitrogen from the air
Space-sufficient. You can grow “bush” types and trellis “pole” types. Don’t sprawl like squashes.
Beans are generally high in secondary defense chemicals- can be a problem eaten raw. Toxic compounds are broken down and rendered harmless by cooking.
Favism- hereditary disease that causes hemolytic anemia from eating fava beans.
Are bean and pea leaves edible? Mostly yes, but check:

10. N-fixation Rhizobia nodules
Rhizobia (bacteria) occur naturally in soil. They infect legume roots and form a symbiotic relationship
Plant forms protective nodules around multiplying bacteria
N2 gas is transformed by rhizobia into ammonia (NH3) that plant cells use to make plant compounds (especially proteins)
Red or pink color in nodule cross-section indicates that rhizobia are active
Rhizobia nodules
Symbiotic relationship is mutually beneficial. Each organism receives something from the other. Rhizobia bacteria give the legume plant a usable form of nitrogen (ammonium) and the plant gives the bacteria an energy source (carbohydrates).
The nitrogen produced is used by the plant and becomes available to the soil food web and subsequent crops after the plants and roots decompose.

11. Inoculation can increase yield
Inoculation with Rhizobia can increase N fixation and yields, but is not absolutely necessary.
The product you purchase (inoculum) contains live cells mixed in an organic carrier (usually peat). Look for the expiration date and make sure it is not outdated. Inoculants have a 1-year shelf life. Rhizobia are species specific. Don’t coat your bean seeds with a product that is for alfalfa and clover. Make sure it says green bean or garden bean on the label if you are trying to inoculate garden beans. Some inoculants have multiple Rhizobia species and will work for different legumes (cross-inoculation groups).
Follow packet instructions for amount to use. It’s usually best to moisten the seeds you want to plant with water and then add the inoculant (it’s dusty!) and use a spoon or your fingers to make sure seeds are uniformly coated.
Rhizobia can live 3-5 years in the soil so if you are growing the same legumes every year you may not see any benefit from yearly inoculation of seeds.

12. And they are pretty!
Bean and pea flower photos from Montgomery Co. MG demo garden (photos by Darlene Nicholson; appeared first in GIEI blog):
Clockwise from top left: scarlet runner bean, cowpea, peanut, hyacinth bean.

13. Planting basics Full sun location: 6-8 hours of direct sunlight
6-8 inches of loose, fertile soil
Start planting beans in late April/early May; bush beans can be planted up to early July
Plant peas (cool-season crop) in March/April for June harvest. Difficult to grow a fall crop
Note: seeds may rot if planted in cold, wet soil
Beans grown for mature, dried seeds- lentil, garbanzo, black bean- will be more difficult to grow because of our humid climate.
Bean and pea seeds are larger than other veggie seeds with more stored carbohydrates that are attractive to soil pathogens. Fungal diseases (the “damping off complex” such as Pythium, Rhizoctonia, and Phytophthora can attack the seeds if they languish in cool, wet soil.
Hot weather will cause flowers and pods to drop-

14. Planting tips
Drag a stick or tool through the soil to make a shallow furrow
Drop seeds every 1-4 inches (follow packet instructions)
Cover with soil (½-inch in spring and 1-inch in summer). Press down to make good seed-soil contact
To save space, plant bush beans and snap peas in short rows 1-2 feet apart
You can soak seeds overnight in water to hasten germination after sowing. Don’t let them soak for more than 16 hours. Soil crusting greatly inhibits germination. It doesn’t matter much how the seed is placed in the furrow. If the “eye” is down it may help plant get established more quickly. Most beans are epigeal- the seed leaves are lifted above ground. Scarlet runner beans and peas are hypogeal- seed leaves stay under ground.
Cover newly planted seeds with floating row cover to speed up growth and protect plants from birds and other critters that will eat seeds and seedlings.
Relatively shallow root system- most roots in top 8-12 inches of soil so are vulnerable to moisture and nutrient stress. They will not grow well in poorly drained soils. Bush beans tend to have fairly concentrated flowering and pod set periods. Plants will never reach their full yield potential if allowed to become drought stressed any time from seedling stage to flowering.
Growth habit is either bush, half-runner, or pole (climbing).
Prolonged air temperature above 86 degrees F. may cause flowers and small pods to drop.
Beans are generally self-fertile with little out-crossing. This makes saving seeds easy and reduces the risk of out-crossing with other cultivars (genetic contamination).
Scarlet runner bean flowers, while perfect, will not self-pollinate without insects “tripping” the flowers.
Honeybees love lima bean flower nectar (which is plentiful) but it is not clear if pollinators substantially increase pod set.
Pole bean vines twine counter-clockwise, but scarlet runner bean vines twine clock-wise. Pod set can be stimulated in mature pole bean plants by removing lower leaves that will stimulate the nearby development of new flowers.

15. Get a head start… Soak seeds in water overnight prior to planting
Pre-germinate seeds indoors on moist paper towels
Start seeds indoors and
set out transplants

16. Growing tips
Apply nutrients according to soil test results. Nitrogen is nutrient most often in short supply
Water your planted seeds and young plants if needed. Don’t let them get water-stressed!
Remove weeds by hand or with a hoe or weeder. A layer of organic mulch will prevent weeds and keep the soil moist and cool in summer
Pick pods as soon as they are ready. This stimulates new flower and pod growth
Fertilize at planting or flowering with one of the “meals” (kelp, fish, cottonseed, alfalfa.)
N- nitrogen; P- phosphate (phosphorous); K- potash (potassium)
Use simple algebra to convert synthetic fertilizer recommendation to organic recommendation:
Example; recommendation is to apply 20# of fertilizer per 1,000 sq. ft.
You want to substitute cottonseed meal which is 6% N.
10/6 X 20 = 33.3# of cottonseed meal
Over-fertilization can burn plants or stimulate excessive leaf growth at the expense of fruit.
Add 1 inch of compost to the planting area.
Water at base of plant or use soaker hose or drip irrigation. Try not to get leaves wet.

17. If possible, install drip irrigation: it saves time and water
Drip Irrigation for Home Vegetable Gardens
Drip irrigation systems are relatively inexpensive, very efficient and convenient, and easy to assemble and disassemble. Many Maryland Master Gardeners are familiar with soaker houses but fewer have used drip irrigation.
The set-up you will see and play with in advanced training today is a ready-to-use kit from Dripworks in California. It sells for $50, exclusing the timer and will handle a sq. ft. garden. The drip tape that delivers the water directly to the soil can be re-used if care is taken and it is stored out of the sunlight and away from rodents. The filter, pressure regulator and connectors should last for many years.
Drip irrigation- also known as trickle irrigation- has many advantages for the home gardener. They are very efficient compared to overhead watering methods because 90%-95% of the water goes into the soil. Therefore less water is required to fully wet the root zone. Walkways stay dry allowing you to work in your garden at any time without worry about muddy shoes, and plant foliage remains dry preventing disease problems. And they can be easily and inexpensively controlled with automatic timers (mechanical or battery operated).
Drip irrigation systems work off low water pressure, 8-10 psi. A simple filter, with a removable strainer, is first connected to the water bib followed by a pressure regulator. A header is laid along the top of each row or bed and individual drip lines or drip tape (“T-tape” is one particular brand) are connected to the header and deliver water from special pressure-compensating “zipper” emitters inside the flat tubing. A single drip line will irrigate a row of plants. For wide beds- drip lines are usually spaced inches apart; 9-1`2 inches apart on coarse soils high in sand (these soils will drain more freely and are more difficult to wet thoroughly). The drip tape can be left on top of the soil (emitter side up) or buried. If left on top, it’s a good practice to cover the drip tape with a mulch.
Drip systems deliver about ½ gallon of water per minute per 100’ of drip tape. Municipal water is fine but make sure you have some type of backflow check valve to prevent contamination of the water source. Although there are neat fittings and connectors designed specifically for use in these drip systems, you can also slip drip tape over ½ inch standard plumbing fittings with barbed ends. The drip tape can be secured with electrical tape held tight with thin wire or hose clamps. It can take as little as 2-3 hours and as long as 24 hours to thoroughly wet the root zone. It all depends on soil type, temperature, crop, and spacing of drip tape.
Think about the very dry summers we had in 1997, 1999, 2000, and Even when rainfall is close to normal during the growing season, your garden will be much more productive if you can irrigate on a regular basis. Isn’t it time to try this out in your garden???
Prepared by: Jon Traunfeld, Regional Specialist; 9/’05
Tatsoi plants in a bed with a drip line for each row
Photo: Kent Phillips

18. If possible, use vertical space
Increase yields per sq. ft.
Easier to water, fertilize and harvest.
Adds complex texture to
garden; use shaded side
for lettuce and spinach
You can surround squash plants with fencing to keep them more upright and reduce sprawl. Peppers and eggplant benefit from staking and you can prevent corn from lodging over in a storm by surrounding each block with heavy twine or rope.

19. Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
Organic pesticides are a last resort
Plant flowering plants in and around the garden that provide nectar and pollen for beneficial insects that eat pest insects.
Examples: mountain mint, anise hyssop (left), thyme, oregano, basil, dill, yarrow, aster, marigold, zinnia, alyssum, phlox, bee balm, milkweeds, butterfly weed, borage, salvias, lamb’s ear
Photo: Anise hyssop with bumblebee visiting
Predators and parasitoids need nectar and pollen during one or more life stages.

20. Biological control Predators eat pests
Give mother nature a chance!
Predators eat pests
Parasitoids lay their eggs on or in pests; larvae consume the host
Green lacewing larva on left (a.k.a “ant lion”) and brown lacewing adult on right. The adult feeds on nectar. The larvae eat small soft-body insects like aphids.

21. Some natural predators (good guys)
Orb-weaver spider
Assasin bug
Mantid eating a stink bug
Lady beetle larva

22. Some bean plant enemies #1: Mexican bean beetle- “skeletonizer”
Most significant bean pests:
Mexican bean beetle (search for adults and larvae every few days, especially leaf undersides, and handpick);
Spider mites (see next 4 slides)
Leafhoppers- cause “burning” of the edges of leaves; you can see the small light green wedge-shape insects fly off plants when you disturb leaves. Can usually ignore damage or try spraying spinosad or neem.
Senescence of leaves- these are annual plants and older leaves will start to yellow, brown out and die. Bush beans are usually productive (producing pods) for 3 weeks.
Go to GIEI website for insect pest photos and information.
Adult, larva, and egg mass

23. Who has been eating my leaves at night?
Especially late April through mid-June.
Blog post about these beetles:

24. #2: Night-feeding beetles!
Oriental beetle
The damage is relatively minor in otherwise healthy bean plantings. No control necessary.
Bean leaf beetle

25. #3: Japanese beetle populations fluctuate year to year

26. #4: Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB)
Eggs and young nymphs
“Sting” pea and bean pods and may also feed on foliage. Bugs use their mouthparts to suck out plant cell contents. BMSB populations vary across state. Most areas that had significant problems in did not see as many in 2014.
There are several other stink bug species that injure lima beans by feeding through the pod and into the seeds. This often causes transmission of yeast and fungi that rot the seeds.
Adults feeding on bean pods
Photo: Entomolgy Dept., UFL
Injury image from plantManagementnetwork.org

27. 2nd to 5th instar BMSB USDA ARS
They are most vulnerable to organic pesticide sprays at early instar growth stages.
USDA ARS

28. “Stippling” symptom during hot, dry weather?
Look at leaf undersides for spider mites.
8 legged, non-insect; active on leaf undersides. Two-spotted and European red are primary pest species.
Sucking mouthparts produce “stipples”; tiny bleached areas on leaf surface; leaves yellow and die.
Webbing is a sign of severe infestation.
Wide host range; many vegetable plants.
Thrive in hot, dry weather.
Many quick generations each year.

29. #5: Spider mites European red mites on leaf underside
Organic management
Mites like it hot, dry, and dusty. Hose off plants to dislodge and annoy mites.
Horticulural oil and insecticidal soap is most effective on eggs. May be used if leaves are not too damaged or hot to tolerate it.
Excessive nitrogen fertilization increases mites.
Mites will migrate from neighboring weeds, so remove weeds.
Clean up garden residues.

30. #6: The kudzu bug, an exotic invasive pest, has arrived- late season feeding possible on all garden beans.
This is a relatively new pest that feeds on kudzu in the South. Soybeans and garden beans are also host plants so please be on the lookout for this invasive insect this summer. If you think you see it, take a photo and/or collect a sample and contact your Extension office or HGIC (send the observation with location and photo through the Ask an Expert feature on the website).
Top photos (eggs and nymphs): Joe Eger, Dow Agrociences, Bugwood.org
Right photo (adult): Alan Leslie, UM

31. Organic management
Grow healthy plants with the right amounts of sun, space, water, nutrients
Improve soil quality with organic matter
Remove weeds; clean up and compost garden residues
Handpick insect pests and remove damaged and diseased leaves
Only use organic pesticides as a last resort. Don’t spray when flowers are open
Try using floating row covers
Some effective organic insecticides:
Pyrethrums'- controls or suppresses a wide range of insects (Pyganic- 1.4% pyrethrum)
Neem extract – suppresses beetles and caterpillars
Neem oil- insecticide and preventative fungicide (for spider mites)
Spinosad- controls beetles, caterpillars, flies, thrips
Horticultural oil and insecticidal soap are effective against soft body insects and insect eggs. Also, good for spider mites if leaves are not too damaged and temperature is below 85 degrees F.
Spinosad: Derived from Saccharopolyspora spinosa, a soil bacterium. Causes rapid excitation of nervous system.
Must be ingested; kills within 2 days. Effective against caterpillars, beetles, sawflies, leafhoppers, spider mites; BUT NOT true bugs. Most beneficials not harmed. Monterey, Ferti-Lome, and Bonide have home garden products

32. Floating row covers First line of defense against spring frost
Hastens germination and promotes early growth
Excludes pests- rabbits, birds, deer, beetles, etc.
Can be left on for entire lifecycle of early bean or pea plants
Note: can trap excessive heat
and damage plants after July
Organic growers have had some success growing crops susceptible to cucumber beetle feeding inder roow covers supported by wire or pvc hoops for the entire growth cycle, opening up the ends to allow pollinators access to blooms.

33. Enviromesh protects crops from insects and wildlife
Floating row cover supported by #9 wire above; bird netting supported by pvc pipe below
Enviromesh protects crops from insects and wildlife
Enviromesh type materials can be used throughout growing season (heat will not build up).
Bird netting over pvc pipe frame (lower right) will exclude birds, deer, and rabbits, but not insects.
GIEI post by Erica Smith (7/11/12)
Last year's tomato crop was hit badly by stink bugs, and using floating row cover over the plants proved awkward and caused the plants to overheat.  This year, Tomato Leader David Studley is using a product called Enviromesh over one group of tomato plants (with row cover on the lower half, as shown in the photo).  We are just now facing our first wave of stink bugs, so we are hoping it will work.  The mesh is easy to remove for harvesting (which is just beginning); the only disadvantage is the need to frequently readjust the net over the fast-growing plants (David does admit he should not have chosen the cherry tomatoes for this experiment).  Next year, perhaps we'll try a tall cage. Read more:

34. Resources
extension.umd.edu/hgic extension.umd.edu/learn/ask-gardening marylandgrows.umd.edu
extension.umd.edu/mg
Take a food gardening class
Find local community gardens
Learn about youth/school gardens
RESOURCES
The Home & Garden Information Center develops and delivers science-based, sustainable gardening and integrated pest management education for better human and environmental health.
Use their free Ask an Expert service to submit a plant or pest question to their Certified Professional Horticulturalists. Follow their blog at marylandgrows.umd.edu.
UME Master Gardener volunteers reach thousands of Maryland residents each year with their classes and events. To learn about the classes and events in your area, go to the Master Gardener website and click on Local Programs. You may also be interested in ordering the Maryland Master Gardener Handbook. It has over 600 pages of information covering a wide variety of horticultural topics.
Grow It Eat It is one of the six main topic areas in the UME Master Gardener program. A number of Master Gardener volunteers teach and promote the local, sustainable production of fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
extension.umd.edu/growit

35. This program was brought to you by
University of Maryland Extension Master Gardener Program
_______________________ County
Remember to put in the name of your county.
Created by Jon Traunfeld, Extension Specialist, UME; 2014; revised 2/15/15; revised 12/19/16; revised by Beth Bukowski 01/18/2018; revised by Alicia Bembenek 01/25/18