Blue Lake Stringless Pole Green Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris 'Blue Lake')
Phaseolus vul-GAR-iss 'Blue Lake'

Annual Climbing Vine
A classic stringless pole bean ready to pick in about 60-65 days.

Blue Lake is a widely-grown stringless pole bean, prized for its straight, tender, 6in green pods and heavy, extended harvest. Vigorous climbing vines reach 5-8ft and need a trellis, fence, or stakes installed at planting time. White flowers appear in early to midsummer, followed by a long harvest season if pods are picked regularly.

Pros

  • Stringless, tender pods with classic bean flavor
  • Long, heavy harvest season if picked regularly
  • Vigorous climbing habit, good for small-space vertical gardening
  • Widely available, reliable, well-tested variety

Cons

  • Needs a trellis, fence, or stakes installed at planting
  • Pods can turn tough/stringy if left to overmature -- needs frequent picking
  • Susceptible to several common bean pests and diseases in wet conditions
Highlights Stringless, tender 6in pods; vigorous climbing habit; long, heavy harvest season.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 5 - 8 feet tall.
Sun Exposure Full Sun - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium : Needs consistent moisture, especially during flowering and pod set; avoid wetting foliage when watering to reduce disease risk.
Zones 2a - 11b (Usually hardy to -50° F)
Tags Annual, Deciduous, Edibles, Full Sun, Good for Beginners, Grown as Annuals, Medium, Vegetables
Bloom Period Early to Late Summer
Flower Color White
Foliage Color
 

In The News

Commonly Planted with...

Classic companion plants include corn, summer squash, eggplant, and cabbage; avoid planting near onions or garlic, which can inhibit bean growth.
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 02/05 - 05/17
2024 : 02/08 - 05/18
2023 : 03/02 - 05/07

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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The cost of this recipe's ingredients will vary depending on the season and the sizes and varieties you select.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!