What Is the Recommended Care for the Royal Burgundy Bean?

Water

• Royal Burgundy bush beans require even soil moisture throughout their growth, but especially when they're forming the pods. Water the plants thoroughly, moistening the soil to a depth of at least 6 inches. Avoid overhead watering, frequent light waterings and watering late in the day. When rainfall is less than 1 inch per week, water the Royal Burgundy beans two or three times during the week.

Fertilizer

• Unless you're fertilizing according to the results of a soil test, you can feed your Royal Burgundy bean plants with a common commercial fertilizer. Prior to planting, incorporate into the garden bed about 3 pounds of a 5-10-10 NPK fertilizer formula per 100 square feet of bed. Then, sidedress the bean plants with 1 lb. of ammonium nitrate per 100 feet of row, right before the plants bloom for the first time. Side dress the plants again or divide the dosage into separate, frequent applications if you have sandy soil. For a side-dressing application, spread the fertilizer in a band along the row of bean plants and water it into the soil thoroughly.

Weeds

• Because bean plants have shallow, weak root systems, they compete poorly with weeds and grasses. Weekly hand-pulling or shallow hoeing of weeds is necessary while your Royal Burgundy bean plants are young and small. During the first four to six weeks after planting the beans, you'll need to remove weeds. After this period, however, the bush bean plants should naturally shade out the weeds around them.

Harvest

• Harvest the Royal Burgundy beans before the pods are fully mature, when the pods are at their full size but the seeds are small and the flesh is firm and crisp. Pick the pods daily for about two to three weeks, as bush beans tend to produce pods continuously for a few weeks if you've planted the seeds in succession at different times. Make sure the pods are still tender and the seeds aren't yet visible through the pods. Break off the stem of the pod, right above the cap.