Last year, many of us discovered the joy of gardening including starting a vegetable garden. That enthusiasm seems to be continuing this year with many people learning how to grow their food from seed.

One of the most popular food crops to grow from seed is the snap bean or green bean. However they are not the only type of bean you can grow! Take a look at what our friends at the National Garden Bureau (NGB) tell us about garden beans:

Basic Types of Garden Beans:
The common garden bean is anything but common! Green beans or ‘snap’ beans as they are also referred to come in a variety of flavors, pod shapes, sizes, and a colorful pallet including shades of green, purple, yellow, and speckled bicolors.

Bush beans are the workhorse of the garden and the mainstay in the kitchen. Bush beans are compact and fit well into both small garden patches or patio containers fitted with cages
Pole beans with their vining habits and can be trained up poles, trellises, netting, or supportive structures such as a teepee. With proper support pole beans can also be grown in containers.
Filet beans or Haricots Vert (French green beans) are distinguished by elegant ultra-slim pods. Due to their delicate appearance, Filet beans are gaining in popularity with foodies and chefs. Filet beans come in both bush and pole bean types.
Dried or shelling beans are grown for their edible seeds rather than edible pods. Pinto beans, kidney beans, and black beans fall into this category. (Source: https://ngb.org/year-of-the-garden-bean/)

Thus the NGB has named 2021 the Year of the Garden Bean. With so many options in garden beans, this could be a really fun growing season!