newb question on pole beans
 

Hi,
I'm a tomato gardener who happens to be growing some Kentucky Wonder pole beans sort of by accident. My friend wanted me to germinate some for her and too many ended up germinating... andIi can't euthanize anything...

My bean plants have pretty little flower - yellow? white? they seem to change color - that look sort of like snapdragons. I assume these will turn into beans? Are they self pollenating like tomatoes or should I get in their with a paintbrush like with my cucumbers? And does anyone know when I might be picking some beans?

I don't know beans about beans
:))

Sounds like everything is on track for your beans :) Bean blossoms come in many colors, white, cream, yellow, pink, purple, orange or red depending on the variety.

You don't need to pollinate them - they handle it on their own. One day the flower will drop and you will see a teeny, tiny baby bean there instead.

How long it takes will depend on conditions and variety. I usually grow soup beans so I don't pick until the vine dies, someone else should be along to give you an idea on how long before you can pick them.

Happy eating :)

Cleo,you don't know beans about beans?
Snap beans are self-pollinating, they take care of themselves just fine.
You'll know when to pick them by watching them closely, the beans form quite fast from the flower stage. Pick the Kentucky Wonder beans at any size you like before the seeds are bulging from the pod, but keep picking them often and they will keep producing the whole season. Don't let them turn to seed unless toward the end of the season you are planning to save seed.

kentucky wonder are pollinated by bumblebees. pole beans take a little longer to mature than bush but once they start look out! they'll produce even after frosts and constantly without breaks that bush beans take, harvests are fast and furious. KW has a string to remove from both sides if you let them get to be 6-7" and longer. i usually pick mine 5-6" to avoid the string and they produce so much and get so long (up to 9-10") it helps to pick them smaller to keep up. i have flowers but no beans yet. but once KW starts you'll have tons of beans.

tom