Bean planting months by climate zone
The chart comes from the same data as the planting calendar. The months suit both dwarf and climbing beans. Tap a zone for its full calendar and the towns it covers.
| Zone | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Sow or plant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical | yes | yes | yes | yes | Apr–Jul | ||||||||
| Subtropical | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | Mar–Apr, Aug–Nov | ||||||
| Arid and semi-arid | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | Sep–Jan | |||||||
| Temperate | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | Sep–Feb | ||||||
| Cool | yes | yes | yes | yes | Oct–Jan | ||||||||
| NZ warm north | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | Sep–Jan | |||||||
| NZ temperate | yes | yes | yes | yes | Oct–Jan | ||||||||
| NZ cool south | yes | yes | yes | yes | Oct–Jan |
sow or plantnot recommendedthis month
In the south, the season runs from the end of the spring frosts into summer. The subtropics have two windows, spring and autumn, which skip the hottest and wettest months. The tropics sow in the dry season.
Soil temperature: the reason seed fails
The germination table by J. F. Harrington of UC Davis, republished by Oregon State University Extension, shows that beans won't come up at all in cold soil:
| Soil temperature | Days for seedlings to emerge |
|---|---|
| 10 °C or less | none |
| 15 °C | 16 |
| 20 °C | 11 |
| 25 °C | 8 |
| 30–35 °C | 6 |
The University of California's pest management program says beans need soil of at least 16 °C. In cooler soil the seeds rot quickly and growth stalls. It puts the best temperatures for germination, growth and yield at 18–29 °C. Lima beans want 21 °C or more. Sow about 25 mm deep, into moist but not soggy soil.
Dwarf or climbing beans
- Dwarf (bush) beans need no support and suit small beds and pots. The University of California says they give a flush of beans over about two weeks and then die out. For a steady supply, sow a new patch every few weeks through the season.
- Climbing beans need a trellis, teepee or fence to climb, but crop for longer from the same patch. The University of California sows them 10 cm apart on both sides of the trellis and thins them to 15 cm.
The planting calendar spaces beans 10–15 cm apart. The plant spacing calculator shows how many fit in a bed. In pots, beans want 15–23 litres of mix, about a 400 mm pot, as in the pot size guide.
Why flowers drop without making beans
The University of California explains that in high temperatures with dry soil, the flowers fail to set pods and yields drop sharply. Keep the soil evenly moist from flowering on. Mulch, and water deeply rather than often. The University of California prefers drip to heavy flood watering. The watering calculator works out run times.
Picking, and where beans go next year
- Pick often. "The more you pick, the more crop you will have," as the University of California puts it. Pick the pods young and tender.
- Rotation: beans are legumes, the group that starts the four-bed plan in the crop rotation guide. Follow them with the brassicas.
Broad beans and peas: the cool-season legumes
Not every bean is a summer crop. Broad beans and peas go in as green beans come out, and the planting calendar treats them as cool-season crops:
| Zone | Broad beans | Peas and snow peas |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical | Not recommended | April to May |
| Subtropical | April to June | April to July |
| Arid | April to July | April to August |
| Temperate | April to July | March to September |
| Cool | March to August | June to October |
| New Zealand | March to May, and September | Warm north: April and August. Temperate: April, August and September. Cool south: September and October |
Broad beans need a cool winter to crop well, which is why the tropics leave them out. They take about 12–25 weeks from sowing and are spaced 15–20 cm apart. Peas are hardy, but frost can damage the flowers. They are ready in about 8–16 weeks, sown 5–10 cm apart along a trellis. They also germinate in far colder soil than green beans: the Oregon State table gives about 13 days at 10 °C and 36 days at 5 °C.
Questions
When should I plant beans in Melbourne?
Melbourne is in the cool zone, where the calendar gives October to January. Wait until the frosts are over and the soil reaches about 16 °C. Seed sown into colder soil tends to rot.
Why didn't my bean seeds come up?
Usually cold, wet soil. Beans don't germinate at 10 °C, and below about 16 °C the seed can rot before it emerges. Wait for warmer soil and sow again. At 25 °C they come up in about 8 days.
Why are my bean flowers falling off?
Heat combined with dry soil stops the flowers setting pods. Keep the water up once the plants flower, mulch the bed, and expect fewer beans in heatwaves.
Should I grow dwarf or climbing beans?
Dwarf beans are quicker and need no support, but crop for only about two weeks, so sow a few batches. Climbing beans need a trellis, but crop for longer from one sowing and use less ground.
Sources
- University of California Statewide IPM Program, Cultural tips for growing beans. Covers soil temperatures, seed rot in cool soil, lima beans, sowing depth and spacing, bush versus pole beans, flower drop in heat and dry soil, drip watering and picking.
- Oregon State University Extension, Soil temperature conditions for vegetable seed germination, after J. F. Harrington, UC Davis.
- Planting months, spacing and days to harvest: the GardenMaths planting calendar, from ABC Gardening Australia, the NT Government, Tui and others listed on each zone page.
Last reviewed 24 September 2026 · Report an error