As one of the highest yielding vegetables you can grow in a small space, bush beans are one of the best vegetables to grow in containers. Nutritious and versatile, bush beans are one of those vegetables that always seem to taste sweeter when you grow and harvest them yourself!
They can produce bumper harvests of beans, ultimately helping you grow more veg in a smaller garden.
Bush beans vs pole beans
Beans are generally divided into two groups, pole (climbing) beans and bush (dwarf) beans.
Pole beans are a great vertically growing crop that can maximize the amount of food you can harvest in a small area. They do however need staking, so you’ll need to provide some form of support, whether that’s a trellis or DIY frame.
Bush beans are often considered the best beans to grow in containers, especially window boxes or balcony planters. There are some other great benefits to growing bush beans too…
Benefits of growing dwarf/bush beans
- They take up less horizontal space compared to other vegetables, which is ideal for smaller gardens
- The pods are more accessible for picking, this makes them great vegetables to grow in containers for children
- Their shorter size means they’re more suited to windy gardens where pole beans may be damaged
- They’re great for planting in borders at the bottom of a trellis used for vertically climbing veg or flowers.
Dwarf beans or bush beans?
In the UK, bush beans are often referred to as Dwarf French Beans. But in the US they’re generally just called bush beans!
Best bush bean varieties for containers and small spaces
Whether you’re container gardening on your balcony, or looking to fill a small space in a garden border, we’ve put together a list of some of the tastiest and most productive bush bean varieties for you to grow in your mini garden space.
1. Dwarf ‘Amethyst’ French Beans
A beautiful bean variety with vibrant 6-inch, purple pods. Amethyst dwarf bean plants are very productive, and will have a long cropping season if picked regularly!
Steaming them is the best way to cook them while retaining that bold purple color. They make a really colorful addition to salads, and the beans can be dried and stored for use through the winter.
Height: 18 inches (45cm)
Width: 12-15 inches (30cm-38cm)
- Produces a bountiful crop of stringless beans
- Beautiful purple color
- Long cropping season
2. Dragons Tongue Bush Beans
The Dragons Tongue (also known as Dragon Langerie) bean produces delicate purple flowers that develop into beautifully patterned green-gold and purple pods. It’s an old heirloom bean variety from The Netherlands.
When boiled they’ll lose that purple patterning, but steaming them can help to retain a bit of color. That’s if they make it into the kitchen! They’re delicious straight off the vine or chopped up fresh in salads.
They may not be the smallest bush bean (they may need staking) but they work well in containers. Plus, their pretty pods, high yields, and great flavor make them a very popular choice!
Height: 18-25 inches (45-64cm)
Width: 16 inches (40cm)
- Striking green/yellow pods with a streaked purple pattern
- Produces a great crop of stringless beans
- Delicious fresh or as dried beans
3. Contender Bush Beans
If you’re looking for a classic, dependable green bush bean, look no further than the ‘Contender’! Tolerant of cool and hot conditions and many common diseases, the Contender is an heirloom bush bean that definitely contends for the top spot.
It’s not the shortest bush bean on our list, but it works well in containers. If you’re growing it in a big container it may grow a little taller and need staking. As a popular variety, it should be easy to find in seed shops.
Height: 18-30 inches (45-76cm)
Width: 18-30 inches (45-76cm)
- Classic green bean with a sweet flavor and crunchy texture
- Produces an amazing crop of stringless beans
- Quick growing, from sowing to harvest in as little as 50 days.
4. Mascotte Bean
One of the shortest bush beans on this list is the Mascotte Bean. It’s a dwarf, upright bean variety that grows to about 16-18 inches tall and shouldn’t need staking.
Because of its tiny size, it’s an ideal variety to grow in a window box or balcony hanging planter. It’s also considered one of the fastest growing bush beans, being ready to harvest in as little as 50 days after transplanting outside!
Height: 16-20 inches (40-50cm)
Width: 16-20 inches (40-50cm)
- All America Selections (AAS) winner
- Best choice for window boxes and small containers
- One of the fastest-growing bush beans
5. Elegance Bean
A neat and compact bean variety that’s perfect for container growing, Elegance is the shortest bush bean on our list. It produces straight, green, stringless pods that have a great flavor and texture.
Like the Mascotte bean, Elegance bush beans would also work very well in a window box or a hanging balcony planter.
Height: 12-18 inches (30-45cm)
Width: 12 inches (30cm)
- Well suited to container growing
- Delicious, stringless, pods
- Good resistance to mosaic virus and rust
6. Dior Bush Beans
Carrying on the elegance theme, Dior is a lovely, compact dwarf wax bean that produces beautiful lemon-yellow pods. Even as a dwarf plant, Dior produces a great yield of these long yellow pods (5 inches). It’s a great option if you’re looking at growing something more unique than the classic green bean!
They should keep their color even when boiled, so paired with a green bean they would make a lovely colorful side dish.
Height: 18 inches (45cm)
Width: 12 inches (30cm)
- Very high yielding
- Beautiful, lemon-yellow pods
7. Porch Pick Bush Beans
A mini bush bean variety from Burpee, Porch Pick produces an amazing yield of green beans for such a tiny plant. They’re quick growing too, as you should be able to start harvesting up to 55 days after planting them outside.
Plant them out in containers on your porch, patio, and balcony, and enjoy harvesting your own tasty green beans.
Height: 18 inches (45cm)
Width: 18 inches (45cm)
- Very high yielding
- Classic green pods with a great flavor
8. Barlotta Lingua Di Fuoco Nano
If you love growing unusual vegetable varieties, then this dwarf bean can definitely be a vibrant addition to your garden. The colorful, pink, and cream patterned pods are as attractive as flowers, and look lovely growing in a container or tucked into a border.
Steaming the pods will help them retain their color after cooking. The dried beans also have the same mottled pattern and make a lovely addition to meals when cooked.
Height: 16-18 inches (40-45cm)
Width: 12 inches (30cm)
- Unique pods with a beautiful pink marbled pattern
- Compact plant, great for small containers
Top tips for growing small bush beans
These high-yielding bush beans are easy to grow and fun to pick. But to help you produce the healthiest possible plants (and awesome yields!) check out our top tips below…
- Beans are not frost tolerant so make sure frosts have definitely passed before you plant them outside.
- Although small, some of these dwarf beans may benefit from staking.
- They’re a sun-loving crop so place them in full sun next to your mini pumpkins or dwarf sunflowers!
- Make sure to pick them regularly as this will encourage them to crop for longer.
- Growing nasturtiums near beans is a great way to draw pests away from your bean plants. It’s an old companion planting technique.
All of these beans can be stored for use in the winter too.
Freezing fresh beans
Before freezing, fresh beans need to be blanched in boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Allow them to cool before storing them in bags or containers. Just remember to label them with a name and date!
Storing dried beans
Leave the pods on the plant and allow them to fully dry. If you live in a humid area or have a short growing season, lifting up the plant and allowing the pods to dry in a dry, sheltered area is best. Carefully open the dried pods to collect the beans inside. Store them in an airtight container and use within a year.
Growing other mini fruit and veg plants…
Looking to pack in as much produce as possible into your mini garden space? Here’s a mini list of other compact, dwarf crop plants to add to your balcony or patio garden…
- Dwarf fruit bushes, like mini raspberry and blueberry plants!
- Dwarf tomato plants
- Dwarf fruit tree varieties, like the mini ‘Pix Zee’ peach!
Hey there! I'm Hannah from Mini Garden Spaces.
I'm a gardener currently based in Gloucestershire. Balconies, patios or windowsills... no matter how small your garden, you'll find top tips on growing beautiful plants and tasty veg in your mini garden space.
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