Green beans are sown right after your last spring frost, once the soil has warmed, and again in summer for a fall crop. Find your zone below, or enter your ZIP code for dates based on the weather station closest to you.
Green bean dates for your ZIP code
Planting times based on university extension guidance (UNH, Cornell, Purdue, Minnesota, Nebraska and UMass Extension). Frost dates from NOAA 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, nearest weather station. Zones derived from the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map data (PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University). This is not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
Green bean planting dates by zone
| USDA zone | When to plant |
|---|---|
| Zone 3 | May 23 – May 30 |
| Zone 4 | May 16 – May 23 |
| Zone 5 | May 8 – May 15 |
| Zone 6 | May 1 – May 8 |
| Zone 7 | April 17 – April 24 |
| Zone 8 | March 31 – April 7 |
| Zone 9 | March 3 – March 10 |
Not sure of your zone? Look it up by ZIP code.
Why green beans wait for warm soil
Green beans are a warm-season crop. Frost kills them, and seed planted in cold, wet soil rots before it sprouts. They germinate well once the soil is at least 55 °F and grow best with air temperatures of 65–85 °F. That is why they are sown directly in the garden right after the last spring frost, not before.
How to plant green beans
- Sow seeds directly in the garden about 1 inch deep. Beans don’t need to be started indoors.
- Space bush beans about 4 inches apart in rows 2–3 feet apart.
- Give pole beans support before they come up: 6-foot stakes or a teepee, with two to four seeds at the base of each pole.
- Water about an inch a week if it doesn’t rain.
- Sow bush beans in batches every two weeks for a steady harvest. Pole beans bear until frost without resowing.
Harvesting green beans
Pick snap beans while they are young and tender, before the seeds bulge inside the pods, usually 50–60 days after sowing. Check the plants every few days: the more you pick, the more they produce. Pole beans can be picked many times through the summer.
Frequently asked questions
Can I plant green beans before the last frost?
No. Frost kills bean plants, and seeds rot in cold soil. Sow right after your last frost, once the soil is at least 55 °F.
How deep should I plant green beans?
About 1 inch deep. Sow them directly in the garden; beans don’t transplant well.
How often should I sow bush beans?
Every two weeks. Bush beans bear most of their crop over a few weeks, so sowing in batches keeps the harvest going.
Sources. Planting dates use the median frost dates of each USDA zone, calculated from NOAA climate data for every ZIP code in the zone.