Bush bean Container Soil Mix
Phaseolus vulgaris
Nitrogen-fixing legume that fruits hard in a light, low-N mix with Rhizobium inoculant.
- Container:
- 3-5 gal, several plants per pot
- pH:
- 6–7
- EC:
- 1–1.4 mS/cm
- Sun:
- 6–8 hr
- Light:
- Full sun
Components
Percentages by volume. Quantities scaled for a 3-gallon container (US units).
| Component | % | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Quality potting mix Base structure, initial nutrients | 50% | 6 qt |
| Coco coir (low-EC, buffered) CEC, moisture buffering | 20% | 2.5 qt |
| Aged compost Microbial diversity | 15% | 2 qt |
| Perlite Drainage, aeration | 10% | 1 qt |
| Pumice Drainage, aeration (lower water requirement) | 5% | 2.5 cup |
Per-container amendments
Scaled linearly to your container size. Apply at transplant or as side-dress per the notes on each line.
- Mycorrhizae inoculant At sowing — pair with Rhizobium seed inoculant.1 tbsp
- Bone meal Phosphorus supports nodulation + pod set.1–2 tbsp
- Basalt rock dust or azomite Trace minerals; no nitrogen needed.1–2 tbsp
Growing notes
- Direct sow once soil hits 60 F+ (late May / early June in cool climates); cold soil rots seed.
- Beans fix their own N — skip nitrogen-heavy fertilizers or you'll get all leaves, no pods.
- Inoculate seed with Rhizobium leguminosarum before sowing for max yield.
- Sow seeds 4 inches apart, ~1 inch deep; bush types grow to ~2 ft and need no support.
- Succession sow every 2 weeks until early August for continuous harvest.
- Pick pods before seeds bulge inside for best texture.
Want to scale this to a different container size, save it to a plot plant, or track applied dates? Open it in the interactive calculator.
References
- Growing beans in home gardens — University of Minnesota Extension . University of Minnesota Extension