| Annual or perennial | Annual |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Height | 40-50cm (dwarf); climbing to 2m (pole type) |
| Spacing | 15cm (dwarf); 20-25cm (climbing) |
| Harvest window | July to September |
French beans (haricots verts) are fast, reliable, and productive. The haricot vert – slender, tender, harvested young – is a pillar of French and European cooking and tastes completely different from shop-bought versions. Dwarf varieties need no staking and produce heavily in a small space.
Which variety to grow
Dwarf/bush types are the most practical for a small garden: ‘Safari’, ‘Cobra’, ‘Annabel’, and ‘The Prince’ are classic and reliable. For the classic slender haricot vert style, look for ‘Matilda’ or ‘Fin de Bagnol’. Climbing/pole varieties like ‘Borlotto’ and ‘Cobra’ (also available as a climber) produce over a longer period and are excellent on a trellis. Yellow varieties (‘Rocquencourt’, ‘Butter Bean’) look spectacular on the plate.
When to plant
Sow directly outdoors from late May to July in Alsace – French beans hate cold soil. Do not sow before the soil has warmed to at least 12-14 degrees. Make 2-3 sowings 3-4 weeks apart for a continuous harvest through summer.
How many to grow
A 1-2m row per sowing is a practical amount. French beans are prolific once they start and need picking every 2-3 days – more plants means more work but more yield. Two or three staggered sowings give beans from July to September without overwhelming you all at once.
Conditions it needs
- Sunlight: Full sun.
- Soil pH: 6.0-7.0
- Soil type: Well-draining, reasonably fertile. Like peas, beans fix their own nitrogen – do not overfeed.
Container growing
Dwarf varieties grow well in containers (at least 25-30cm deep and wide). Excellent for a balcony or terrace. Water regularly – containers dry quickly. Climbing varieties need a substantial container (40+ litres) with a wigwam or trellis.
How to care for it
Water at the base during dry spells – especially during flowering and pod filling. Mulch to retain moisture. Dwarf varieties need no support. Climbing varieties need a framework of canes, a trellis, or netting from the beginning. Pick regularly and frequently – this is essential to keep production going.
Propagation
Leave some pods to mature and dry fully on the plant at the end of the season. Shell the dried beans, dry further indoors, and store in a paper bag. French bean seed lasts 3-4 years stored correctly. Saving seed is easy and satisfying – after a few years you can have seed entirely from your own garden.
Watch out
French beans become stringy, tough, and starchy very quickly if left too long on the plant. Check every 2-3 days and harvest when pods are slender and snap cleanly. Pods past their best can still be shelled for dried beans – nothing is wasted – but the fresh-eating window is short. This is the crop that teaches you to harvest on schedule.
Companion planting
Beans are excellent companions for carrots (each deters the other’s main pest). The Three Sisters planting (beans, squash, sweetcorn) is a traditional Native American polyculture. Keep away from garlic, onions, and fennel.
Problems to watch for
- Halo blight: Water-soaked spots with yellow halos on leaves. A bacterial disease spread by infected seed. Avoid overhead watering.
- Slugs: Love young seedlings. Protect immediately after germination.
- Spider mites: In hot, dry conditions. Mist the undersides of leaves.
When and how to harvest
Harvest when pods are slender (about 10-12cm), snap cleanly, and feel firm but not bulging. The window of perfect harvest is short – 2-3 days. Pick with scissors or by supporting the plant and pinching the stem. Harvest frequently and consistently to maximise total yield.
How to store
- Fresh: Refrigerate in a bag for 3-5 days.
- Blanched and frozen: Top and tail, blanch for 3 minutes, cool, and freeze. Very good from frozen in cooked dishes.
- Dried: Leave pods to mature fully for dried beans (haricots blancs, flageolets) to use in autumn stews.
In the kitchen
Savory
Salade nicoise (with tomatoes, olives, hard-boiled egg, and a sharp vinaigrette – no tuna needed), haricots verts with butter and almonds, warm bean and tomato salad with basil, beans in minestrone and pistou, three-bean salads, beans with lemon and olive oil as a simple side. Cooking haricots verts correctly means 4-6 minutes of fierce boiling and then shocking in cold water – they should be tender but with definite bite.
Sweet
Not used in sweet dishes.
Drinks
Not used in drinks.