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A bowl of long green beans set on the grass
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When to plant pole beans in Olympia, WA

Plant pole beans from seed, directly in the garden in Olympia, May 10 – Jun 14.

Easy Plant seeds in the ground

Why these dates

Olympia's typical last spring frost is April 29. Frost kills pole beans, and warm-season crops also need warm soil. Soil here stays cold for weeks after the last frost, so planting waits until about May 10. Keep row cover or a frost blanket handy for the first couple of weeks, since a late frost is still possible.

West-side valleys. The Willamette Valley, Puget Sound and southern Oregon valleys. Long frost-free seasons, but soil stays cold and wet into May, so warm crops wait for warm soil, not just the last frost.

Difficulty
Easy
Sun
Full sun
Spacing
4 to 6 inches apart along a trellis
Planting depth
1 inch deep
Frost
Killed by frost
First harvest
About 65 days after planting

Step by step

  1. Prepare the bed: loosen the soil and mix in an inch or two of compost.
  2. Plant seeds May 10 – Jun 14, 1 inch deep, 4 to 6 inches apart along a trellis.
  3. Keep the soil evenly moist until sprouts appear, which can take one to three weeks in cool soil.
  4. Harvest: Pick when pods are pencil-thick and before the seeds bulge. Picking every few days keeps the vines producing.

Varieties that do well here

  • Blue Lake FM-1K
  • Kentucky Wonder
  • Fortex

Watch out for

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

Climb 6 to 8 feet and keep producing for weeks. Put up the trellis before you sow. Like bush beans, they need warm soil.

Common questions

When is the last frost in Olympia, WA?

Typically April 29. In 9 years out of 10, frost is over by May 15. These are 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals for Olympia Airport.

Is it too late to plant pole beans in Olympia?

The spring planting window runs through June 14. Later plantings may not have time to produce before the first fall frost, which usually arrives around October 14.

How long until I can harvest pole beans?

About 65 days after planting. Pick when pods are pencil-thick and before the seeds bulge. Picking every few days keeps the vines producing.

Also plant in Olympia around the same time

Planting dates for pole beans in nearby areas

Full planting calendar for Olympia · Pole beans in every city