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Green beansare one of the most popular vegetables for home gardens.

They grow quickly, produce heavy yields, and don’t need much attention.

But you do have to know when to pick them.

when to pick green beans

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They have edible pods with different shapes and sizes of edible beans on the inside which are actually seeds.

Once the actual beans inside plump up and get fully ripe, pods can can get tough or pithy.

Green bean harvests last for several weeks but it’s important to keep up with picking.

It may be necessary to pick every day or every few days at first.

Removing mature beans allows the plant to direct energy into continued flowering and ripening immature beans.

When Your Green Bean Isn’t Green

Some green bean varieties have purple or speckled pods.

To know the right time to pick, look for rich, uniform color.

How Are Bush Beans Different From Pole Beans?

They’re often grown on tall stakes in a pyramid shape.

Some training and tying may be needed, but often they grow up it naturally.

Bush beans, growing upright, don’t require staking.

Once fruiting begins, the plants continue to flower but stop growing new branches and foliage.

No, it’s possible for you to’t pick green beans too early.

Harvests last about three weeks on average.