When to plant beans
Green beans are frost-tender and should be sown directly outside after the last frost, when soil reaches about 60°F. In cold, wet soil the seed rots before it sprouts. Bush beans crop all at once; pole beans produce for longer on a support.
Sow bush beans every two to three weeks for a continuous harvest, stopping about eight to ten weeks before your first fall frost.
BeanPhaseolus vulgaris
- Sow seed outside
- 1–3 weeks after last frost
- Last sowing
- 8–10 weeks before first fall frost
- Frost
- Frost-tender: killed at 32°F
- Soil temp
- 60°F (16°C) or warmer
- Depth
- 1 in
- Spacing
- 4 in apart, rows 18 in · 9 per square foot
- Harvest
- 50–65 days (bush), 60–75 days (pole)
Your dates for beans
Tips for growing beans
- Don’t soak bean seed for long before sowing; it can crack and rot.
- Avoid working among wet plants: it spreads bean diseases.
- Pick pods before the seeds bulge to keep plants producing.
Choosing neighbours? See companion plants for beans. Working out how many fit? Use the spacing calculator.
Beans: common timing questions
Can I plant beans before the last frost?
No. Seed rots in cold soil and frost kills seedlings. Wait until soil is about 60°F.
Do beans add nitrogen to soil?
They fix some nitrogen through root nodules, but most of it goes into the pods. Dig roots and leaves in after harvest to return some to the soil.