Temperature

• Bean plants need sun and loose soil.Runner Bean Plants image by chrisharvey from Fotolia.com
  
  Bean plants love sun and warmth. Don't plant them in shady or cool areas. Plant beans only after you are positive that there is no chance of frost. They won't germinate well, says Lerner, if the soil is cold, and a thaw will make rot likely. Lerner recommends that you be sure that soil is above 50 degrees; Drost advises waiting until soil temperature is above 60 degrees.
  
  

Soil

• Bean plants don't need much support.runner bean plant 6 image by chrisharvey from Fotolia.com
  
  The soil that you place your bean plants in should be rich in organic matter and not overly dense. Seedling sprouts may have a difficult time pushing through heavy soil, and is why Drost says to take care you're not planting them in clay-laden soil.
  
  If you do have heavy soil, Lerner recommends covering the seed with compost, peat, sand or vermiculite.
  
  If you suspect that the soil isn't rich in organic matter, a moderate amount of nitrogen fertilizer can be applied before planting, about 6 inches deep, according to Lerner. Reapply after heavy rainfalls if your soil is light and add fertilizer alongside (not on top of foliage) the bean plants once flowering has begun.
  
  

Moisture

• Too much moisture will limit seed and pod growthbean mung germinant image by Maria Brzostowska from Fotolia.com
  
  Moisture will affect bean plant growth. They need regular watering, says Drost, especially at flowering, but too much moisture will affect growth of seeds and pods. Lerner recommends watering your bean plant in the early morning so that they dry quickly. One inch of water every week is adequate.
  
  

Disease

• Healthy bean plants are easy to grow.Close-up of beans in its pod image by Nikolay Okhitin from Fotolia.com
  
  Many bean plants grow quickly and so avoid diseases that often affect growth in other plants. Crop rotation, the practice of planting beans in a different plot every year, is usually enough to prevent most diseases that might affect bean plant growth, say both Drost and Lerner.
  
  

Pests

• Keep plants free of debris to lessen pest invasions.Bean shoots image by Scott Latham from Fotolia.com
  
  Mexican bean beetles, leaf beetles and their larvae may plague bean plants. Large, flowering plants, says Drost, can usually endure beetle nibbles but the larvae can affect bean plant growth when the plant is still a seedling. Look for yellow eggs under the leaves of young bean plants.
  
  Leafhoppers are small, green insects that suck the juices from bean plants and may be difficult to manage, according to Drost, because they are so mobile.
  
  Army worms feed on leaves and stems of bean plants. Cutworms feed near the surface of the soil. Drost recommends keeping the plot free of debris and weeds that can harbor the worms.