Beans

UC Links

How to grow: Beans

Pest management: Bean cultural tips, pests, and diseases

The Basics

When to plant

• Direct seed or transplant: April–June
• For best results, wait to direct seed until daytime temperatures are regularly over 70 degrees and soil temperature is over 60 degrees. Direct-seeded beans will rot if the soil is too cold.

Harvest window: 50–100 days depending on variety.

Care overview

• Nitrogen fertilizer is not needed because beans are legumes that can fix nitrogen from the air.
• For a continuous harvest of bush beans, plant successive crops 2 to 3 weeks apart.
• Pole beans bear over a longer period than bush beans but require trellising.

Additional link: Long Bean Trial

Recommended Varieties for Santa Clara County^*

Other recommended varieties: 

• Bush beans: Beurre De Roquencourt, Greencrop, Landreth Bush, Nickel, Purple Podded, Roc d’Or, Royal Burgundy, Slankette, Strike
• Pole beans: Blue Lake, Dutch White Runner, Emerite, Fortex, Kentucky Blue, Marvel of Venice

^* Many other varieties may also do well here in Santa Clara County. This list is based on UC Master Gardener trials, taste tests, and feedback from local growers.