Green Beans: Plant more than one

This Roma II bean bush grew about 14 inches tall and six inches wide. That's a nice fit for a small garden bed, but it only produced three to eight beans at once -- hardly enough for a snack!I grew up only knowing green beans one way: boiled, right out of the freezer bag, so they were left rubbery and tasteless. If this describes your relationship with the green bean, you've got to buy them fresh in the summer. Or, better yet, grow your own.

If you do, here's an important tip: Plant at least three bushes. They grow straight and tall and so don't take up too much real estate in your garden bed. I learned the hard way this summer that one plant is just not enough. I planted a Roma II bean bush (aka, Italian pole beans) that produced a steady crop throughout the summer and early fall. But I only got about six to eight beans a week, hardly enough for a side dish. 

I promise you that growing your own is worth it. They are so crisp and sweet when eaten raw. I don't often cook or season them in the summer. I love them cut up and tossed into a salad, where their natural flavor can really shine.