Bush beans: Spacing, Yield & Planting Dates

About bush beans

Bush beans fix their own nitrogen and deliver a concentrated flush of snap or shell beans in about eight weeks, making them an ideal succession crop for small gardens.

Spacing & yield

Bush beans wants 4×18 inches and about 0.5 lb per plant at ~55 days to maturity.

Growing tips

• Inoculate seed with rhizobium bacteria if planting in a bed that has never grown legumes.
• Sow a new row every 2-3 weeks for continuous harvest through summer.
• Harvest when pods snap cleanly and seeds are still small inside.
• Avoid overhead watering during flowering to prevent blossom blast.

Common mistakes

• Sowing into cold wet soil below 60 F, causing seed rot instead of germination.
• Handling plants when foliage is wet, which spreads bacterial blight.

Harvest & storage

Pick pods at 4-5 inches long before seeds bulge visibly, roughly 55 days from sowing.

Refrigerate fresh beans in a breathable bag for up to one week, or blanch and freeze for long-term storage.

Companion planting

Good neighbors for bush beans: corn, cucumbers, carrots, beets, cabbage. Avoid planting beside: onions, garlic, fennel.

Planting calendar

Direct sow about 1 weeks after your last spring frost. Use the seed-starting calculator above with your real county frost date — the April 15 default is only a worked example (zone 6 style).

Estimates only — consult your local extension office for advice specific to your land and animals.