Those harvested for the fresh market are usually hand-picked to minimize the risk of injuries to the bean pods. However, more and more hybrid varieties well-suited for mechanical handling are becoming available to growers. Snap beans grown for processing are generally harvested mechanically. Frost and drought are major perils affecting snap beans. Snap bean plants are very sensitive to cold temperatures and will freeze from a slight frost.
Snap beans are also sensitive to moisture stress, particularly during flowering and pod development.
Moisture stress during flowering will most likely cause blossoms to fall off the plant and consequently result in a substantial decline in yields. Moisture deprivation during pod development can also lengthen the maturity period and result in small, shrivelled pods. Excess moisture can also result in low yields. Beans, along with many vegetable crops, may be subject to many diseases during the growing cycle. Root rot, damping-off, and seed rots are major diseases of snap beans.