How Do You Care For Castor Beans?
Native to Africa and the Middle East, castor beans often grow wild on hillsides, rocky terrain and even along roadsides. The parent plant is a fast growing annual, reaching heights of four to five feet at maturity. In fact, the castor bean plant develops a tree-like appearance in as little as three to four months when planted from seed. If you live within the castor bean plant’s favored USDA hardiness zones, which are zones 8 through 11, growing castor beans is less than challenging. Care is even easier once the plant is established. Test the pH of your soil before planting castor beans. Castor bean plants thrive when grown in soil that has a pH between 5.5 and 6.5. If your soil pH is outside these parameters, you will need to amend the soil. Amend the soil after breaking it up with a pitchfork. Mix lime in with the soil if your soil test reveals a pH below 5.5, or peat moss for soil with a pH above 6.5. Add the required amendment following label instructions. Plant your castor bean pl
