Description

Some say pole beans have better flavor than bush beans. 'Blue Lake FM-1K' certainly would support that statement. Besides outstanding flavor, plants are high-yielding. Vigorous, 5'–8' vines produce a bounty of 5″–7″, white-seeded beans that are excellent fresh, and also canned or frozen. Disease resistant.

Botanical Name: Phaseolus vulgaris
Days to Maturity: 66 days
Family: Fabaceae
Native: Mexico and South America
Hardiness: Frost-sensitive annual
Plant Dimensions: 5'–8' long vines
Variety Information: 5″–7″ long, ½” wide silvery-green pods; stringless when young, white seeds. 'Blue Lake FM-1K' is common bean mosaic virus resistant.
Type: Snap bean

When to Sow Outside: RECOMMENDED. 1 to 2 weeks after your average last frost date, and when soil temperature is at least 65°F, ideally 70°–85°F. Successive Sowings: Every 7 to 14 days up to 80 days before your average first fall frost date. NOTE: In very hot summer areas, skip sowing as high heat approaches; temperatures consistently above 90°F will prevent beans from forming.
When to Start Inside: Not recommended.
Days to Emerge: 6–12 days
Seed Depth: 1″
Seed Spacing: 1 seed every 6″
Row Spacing: 36″
Thinning: Not required

Harvesting: Snap beans are ready to pick when the pod “snaps” or breaks in half cleanly. This is when seeds have just begun to form and the pods are several inches long (depending on the variety). Hold stem with one hand and the pod with the other hand to avoid pulling off branches, which will continue to produce. Harvesting early and often will stimulate flower production for more beans. At season's end, plants are great compost material if they are disease-free.

This packet sows up to 24 feet or two 4-foot diameter teepees. 48 seeds.