When to plant pole beans in Yakima, WA

Plant pole beans from seed, directly in the garden in Yakima, May 15 – Jun 19.

Easy Plant seeds in the ground

Why these dates

Yakima's typical last spring frost is May 8. Frost kills pole 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: 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 15 – Jun 19, 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 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 pole beans in Yakima?

The spring planting window runs through June 19. 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 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 Yakima around the same time

Planting dates for pole beans in nearby areas

Pendleton, OR May 3 – Jun 7
The Dalles, OR Apr 25 – May 30
Wenatchee, WA Apr 25 – May 30
Tri-Cities (Pasco, Kennewick, Richland), WA May 4 – Jun 8
Walla Walla, WA Apr 25 – May 30
Moses Lake, WA May 4 – Jun 8

Full planting calendar for Yakima · Pole beans in every city