If you are on the hunt for a type of prolific pole bean you can grow in a small space, then look no further than Blue Lake Pole Beans! These delicious beans grow abundant crops in an upward vining habit, ensuring that even with a small growing space, you can enjoy a harvest all summer long.
Read on to learn all about growing, caring for, and eating Blue Lake Pole Beans!
Characteristics of Blue Lake Pole Beans
Among the most defining characteristics of Blue Lake Pole Beans is a descriptor contained in the name itself: this is a pole bean variety, meaning it grows upward rather than into a bush shape. This adaptation of the bush variety of Blue Lake Bean was bred specifically to maximize growth space.
As a result, Blue Lake Pole Beans to be grown just about anywhere, regardless of space!
The Blue Lake Pole Bean plant is typically characterized by its height, growing up to 6 or 7 feet tall and putting out pods from the bottom of the plant upward throughout the growing season. Blue Lake Pole Bean pods themselves are roughly 5 to 6 inches in length, and they are smooth and plump, as well as stringless and tender to the touch. The seeds they contain are white beans.
The flavor of Blue Lake Pole Beans has been described, once cooked, as mild and somewhat grassy or earthy, with a hint of sweetness. They tend to retain a fresh taste even after being cooked, sauteed, or otherwise prepared.
Blue Lake Pole Beans Specific
Eating Them
You may notice that Blue Lake Pole Beans have a very classic sort of “green bean” pod look, which is an important factor when considering how to prepare them! There are actually a lot of similarities between the two, so you can use Blue Lake Pole Beans in a lot of recipes similar to how you would use a standard green bean.
For example, Blue Lake Pole Beans make a great side dish on their own. You might steam or boil them, then butter and serve them topped with a sprinkling of salt, pepper, or fresh herbs. Blue Lake Pole Beans can also be prepared in dishes such as with potatoes in a classic southern recipe, or they can be added to soups and stews to lend a crunchy component.
Blue Lake Pole Beans are delicious when sauteed, roasted, and even fried! They can be used in stir-fry recipes or as an ingredient in pasta and casseroles. However you use them, they offer a subtle but delicious boost of flavor to the mix.
Another way to use and enjoy Blue Lake Pole Beans, and one of the most popular, is by canning or freezing them and then using them later in cooked dishes. Though they may not hold up as well to simple side dish eating after being frozen or canned, they can still be counted on to add a great pop of healthy flavor to dishes once thawed or uncanned.
This is an important factor because of the general bumper crop put out by the Blue Lake Pole Bean plant. Often you will have too many beans to use in a single season, so it is quite a relief that this is a bean variety that holds up well to canning, pickling, freezing, and other types of preservation.
Health Benefits
Like many other types of beans and legumes, Blue Lake Pole Beans pack a whopping powerhouse of nutritious benefits. Chief among these would be their offering of vitamins.
One of the top health benefits when it comes to vitamin content in Blue Lake Pole Beans is the vitamin K and vitamin C found in the beans. Vitamin K helps the body to heal itself more quickly from illness and injury, while Vitamin C boosts the immune system to help keep you more healthy overall.
In addition, Blue Lake Pole Beans also provide a fantastic source of nutrients including fiber and potassium, which help regulate the digestive system and bring balance to the body’s fluid levels. To a slightly lesser extent, you can also get a good portion of calcium, copper, phosphorus, iron, and manganese by making these delicious beans a regular part of your meals.
Growing At Home
Blue Lake Pole Beans are a great bean variety for growing at home. In fact, they are preferred by many home gardeners due to their ability to thrive in smaller spaces, so long as they are properly staked. Growing up to 6 to 7 feet tall, Blue Lake Pole Bean plants need more upward than outward space in order to flourish.
Because this is a very cold-sensitive variety of bean, your Blue Lake Pole Bean seeds will need to be planted after the final threat of frost has passed, when the soil temperature is consistently above 60 degrees. They should be planted about 2 inches deep and 10 inches apart so that you have room to stake or trellis them as soon as the seedlings emerge from the soil. If you are planting rows, you will need to space them about 3 feet apart.
Your Blue Lake Pole Bean plants will do best when planted and maintained in moist soil, with access to full sunlight throughout the growing season. Mulching is recommended to help maintain the moisture levels and temperature of the soil. Water often enough to keep the soil damp to moist, but be careful not to flood your plants.
You can expect to begin seeing pods on your Blue Lake Pole Bean plants within about 10 weeks. From there, you will likely see an eruption of pods, as this is a vigorous and hearty bean variety that puts out a bumper crop most seasons.
In terms of harvesting, you can maximize the growth and health of your Blue Lake Pole Bean Plant by harvesting some pods every day. For the best flavor, choose the pods that are about as thick around as a pencil and eat or store them quickly.
Where To Buy Blue Lake Pole Beans
Blue Lake Pole Bean seeds can often be sourced at local grocers, nurseries, and lawn and garden centers. If you are looking to source your seeds online, we recommend the reliable seeds available at Hoss Seeds or True Leaf Market.
Try Your Hand at Blue Lake Pole Beans!
Looking forward to growing a bumper crop of Blue Lake Pole Beans? Make sure you’re prepared for all the ins and outs before you start!
There’s a wide variety of beans to put on your garden and food bucket lists! Visit our Bean Plants page to learn more about bean plant care, health benefits of eating them, and so much more.