When to plant bush beans in Yakima, WA

Plant bush beans from seed, directly in the garden in Yakima, May 15 – Jun 26.

Easy Plant seeds in the ground

Why these dates

Yakima's typical last spring frost is May 8. Frost kills bush beans, so planting starts once frost risk drops, around May 15. Keep row cover or a frost blanket handy for the first couple of weeks, since a late frost is still possible.

Columbia Basin and low eastern valleys. Hot, dry summers and quick spring warm-up. Warm crops go in earlier than west of the Cascades, and irrigation matters more than rain.

Difficulty: Easy
Sun: Full sun
Spacing: 3 inches apart
Planting depth: 1 inch deep
Frost: Killed by frost
First harvest: About 55 days after planting

Step by step

Prepare the bed: loosen the soil and mix in an inch or two of compost.
Plant seeds May 15 – Jun 26, 1 inch deep, 3 inches apart.
Keep the soil evenly moist until sprouts appear, which can take one to three weeks in cool soil.
Harvest: Pick when pods are pencil-thick and before the seeds bulge. Picking often keeps plants producing.

Varieties that do well here

Provider (sprouts in cooler soil)
Blue Lake 274
Royal Burgundy

Watch out for

Seeds rot in cold, wet soil, the most common Northwest bean failure. Wait for warm soil.

Seeds rot in cold, wet soil. Wait until soil is consistently above 60°F.

Common questions

When is the last frost in Yakima, WA?

Typically May 8. In 9 years out of 10, frost is over by May 27. These are 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals for Yakima Air Terminal.

Is it too late to plant bush beans in Yakima?

The spring planting window runs through June 26. Later plantings may not have time to produce before the first fall frost, which usually arrives around October 4.

How long until I can harvest bush beans?

About 55 days after planting. Pick when pods are pencil-thick and before the seeds bulge. Picking often keeps plants producing.