Sustainable Practices for Vegetable Production in the South
Dr. Mary Peet, NCSU
Home

Beans

HARVEST AND POST-HARVEST

Bush snap beans. Beans are harvested 2 to 4 weeks after full bloom, depending on the size of bean pod preferred by the market. Delaying harvest results in greater total weight but fewer beans in the most commercially desirable small diameter classes and tougher, more fibrous pods. Harvest can be based on pod size classes or on flower drop. Based on size classes, beans are harvested when 20 to 50 percent of the pods are 7/16 inch (sieve 5) or larger. Otherwise beans are harvested when almost all the blooms have dropped.

Peak quality of an individual bean in terms of pod flavor and tenderness can be maintained for only 1 to 2 days on the plant. A reasonably good yield of bush beans is 300 to 330 bushels per acre. Bush beans are mechanically harvested, destroying the vines so each field is harvested only once. Poor weed control makes harvest difficult. Generally beans are graded, packed and hydrocooled before shipment.

Pole snap bean. Pole beans are harvested 60 to 70 days from seeding, depending on the pod diameter and amount of pod toughness permitted in the market Pole beans are harvested by hand every 3 to 7 days for 3 to 5 total harvests. Good yields of pole beans are 250 to 300 bushels per acre.

Lima beans. Lima beans are harvested when three-quarters of the pods are mature. At this point, 10 to 15 percent of the pods will be yellow, open easily and the beans will be greenish-white. The average yield is 150 to 200 bushels per acre Under optimum holding conditions of 37 to 41 degrees F and 95 percent relative humidity, lima beans can be stored for 5 to 7 days.

Southern pea. Southern peas are mechanically harvested at the dry-shell stage. For harvest at the green-shell stage, slightly yellow pods are hand-harvested over a 3 to 5 week period 70 to 75 days after seeding. An average yield is 125 to 300 bushels per acre.