Rainline Garden
When to plant pole beans in Port Townsend, WA
Plant pole beans from seed, directly in the garden in Port Townsend, May 10 – Jun 14.
Why these dates
Port Townsend's typical last spring frost is March 1. 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.
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
- Prepare the bed: loosen the soil and mix in an inch or two of compost.
- Plant seeds May 10 – Jun 14, 1 inch deep, 4 to 6 inches apart along a trellis.
- 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 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 Port Townsend, WA?
Typically March 1. In 9 years out of 10, frost is over by March 23. These are 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals for Port Townsend.
Is it too late to plant pole beans in Port Townsend?
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 November 28.
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 Port Townsend around the same time
Carrots
Beets
Swiss chard
Bush beans
Sweet corn
Cucumbers
Zucchini and summer squash
Winter squash and pumpkins
Planting dates for pole beans in nearby areas
- Aberdeen and Hoquiam, WA May 15 – Jun 19
- Forks, WA May 15 – Jun 19
- Port Angeles, WA May 10 – Jun 14
- Sequim, WA May 10 – Jun 14
- Long Beach and Ilwaco, WA May 15 – Jun 19
- Portland, OR May 10 – Jun 14
Full planting calendar for Port Townsend · Pole beans in every city