Bean, Kentucky Wonder 125, Bush

A compact bush snap bean with white seeds and broad, tender green pods for fresh picking, freezing, or canning.

Kentucky Wonder in a bush plant

Kentucky Wonder 125 keeps the familiar Kentucky Wonder name in a compact bush form. The plants stand about 12 to 15 inches tall, so they need no climbing frame. Expect a sturdy plant with broad, 7 to 8 inch pods filled with white seeds. It matures in about 45 days, making it an early bean choice for a summer bed. The difference here is the plant habit: upright, self-supporting plants instead of long climbing vines.

Sow after the soil warms

Snap beans are warm-season vegetables. Wait until frost danger has passed and the soil has warmed before sowing. Plant seed about 1 inch deep, spaced 2 to 4 inches apart in rows at least 18 to 24 inches apart. Bush plants stand without supports, which leaves the bed open for easy access and makes this variety useful where a trellis would crowd another crop. Avoid working the row deeply once plants are growing. Bean roots sit close to the surface, and close cultivation can injure them.

Pick pods before seeds swell

Check the plants as pods lengthen. For tender snap beans, harvest when the pods are firm and crisp but before the seeds inside grow large enough to show as bumps. Pick after dew dries so wet foliage is not handled unnecessarily. Beans can be brittle, so support a branch with one hand while removing pods with the other. Keep picking before seeds mature. Removing pods encourages the plant to continue flowering and setting more beans. For a longer supply, plant another short row every two to four weeks during the season instead of putting all the seed in at once.

Use the harvest your way

Pick the youngest pods for a crisp side dish. Steam them briefly, stir them into a skillet, or chill them for a simple bean salad. When the crop comes in faster than the kitchen can use it, snap and freeze the extras or prepare them for canning using a tested preservation recipe. Kentucky Wonder 125 can also be left longer for shelling or dry beans, since snap bean varieties may be harvested after pods mature. The white seed color is traditional among beans grown for canning and freezing because it does not tint cooking water.