Starting Seeds: Plant seeds directly in the soil, after the last frost and once the soil has warmed up. They prefer loose soil (that is not too compacted), so it should be well turned and not trod on. It helps to mix in plenty of of compost. Deep bed plantings do very well.
Planting in Garden: Plant seeds 2 inches apart. Plant rows 24 inches apart. Deep beds can tolerate closer rows. keep beds weeded or cover with hay to keep weeds back.
Harvest: Cut the beans before they are too big and tough. The younger the bean the more tender. They can be blanched and frozen or pickled. If you keep cutting then daily, they will keep producing beans for a couple of weeks. If you want to dry the beans, let the last growth get big and then pull up the plants and hang them upside-down to dry before shelling. In a longer growing season, you can plant a second crop in late July.
Pests: Some areas experience cutworms.
