Crops › Snap Bean
How to grow Snap Bean
in the US
Sow April to July, plant out August, harvest June to September. About 55 days from seed to plate.
Shown for zone 6. Zone table further down.
Snap beans are proper easy to grow, you know. They give you a cracking harvest for very little fuss on the plot. They're a great choice for beginner gardeners, bringing a steady supply of fresh beans all summer long.
Sowing
Wait until all danger of last frost has passed in your area before sowing snap bean seeds directly into the ground. They don't like cold soil, so make sure it's warmed up a bit. Plant seeds about 1 inch deep and 3 to 4 inches apart in rows, with rows about 2 to 3 feet apart. If you want, you can get yourself some nitrogen-fixing bacteria inoculant for the seeds; it helps them grow strong. Remember, don't over-fertilize the soil, especially with nitrogen, as these plants make their own. You can sow in succession every couple of weeks for a longer harvest.
Growing on
Snap beans are pretty self-sufficient once they get going. Bush varieties won't need much support, but the pole types will definitely need something sturdy to climb, like a trellis or stakes, to keep them happy. Make sure they have enough space to grow, about 6 inches apart for bush types and 8 inches for pole beans once they're properly established. They do well in containers too, especially the bush varieties, just make sure the pot is big enough for good root growth.
Looking after it
Keep your snap beans well-watered, especially when they're flowering and forming pods. A good layer of mulch around the base will help keep that moisture in and suppress weeds. They don't need a lot of feeding, as they fix their own nitrogen, so just a balanced feed if your soil is really poor. Keep an eye out for weeds, pull them gently so you don't disturb the bean roots.
What goes wrong
Slugs and snails can be a nuisance when the plants are young, so keep an eye out for them and pick 'em off if you can. Later in the season, you might see Mexican bean beetles, aphids, or Japanese beetles munching on the leaves. You can pick off the larger beetles by hand, especially early in the morning, or blast aphids off with a strong spray of water. Healthy plants usually cope better, to be honest.
Harvest
You'll start picking your snap beans in about 55 days from sowing, and they'll keep coming through summer. Pick them when they're young and tender, before the seeds start to bulge. The more you pick, the more the plant will produce, like. For storage, they're best used fresh, but you can keep them in the fridge for a few days, or blanch and freeze them for later.
My best tip for snap beans is to get out there and pick them every single day once they start producing; if you leave 'em on the plant, it thinks its job is done and stops making more.
Dates for your plot
Type your zone and the plant-out advice shifts to your frost dates.
Varieties, and whether the club would grow them again
| Variety | Club verdict |
|---|---|
| Provider This Provider variety is a proper reliable performer, giving you a good yield of tasty green beans. It's a cracking choice for beginners looking for a dependable crop straight from the garden. | No club votes yet |
| Blue Lake 274 Blue Lake 274 is another solid green bean, known for its excellent flavor and tenderness. Starting these undercover helps get them going a bit quicker, making for an earlier harvest. | No club votes yet |
| Contender The Contender variety gives you a quick crop of straight, stringless green beans, and it's quite robust too. It's a grand choice if you want an early harvest direct from sowing outside. | No club votes yet |
| Cherokee Wax Cherokee Wax offers lovely yellow pods with a tender texture and good flavor. Getting these started undercover means you can protect those young plants and get them off to a strong start. | No club votes yet |
| Goldrush Goldrush is a beautiful yellow snap bean variety that's known for its productivity and rich color. It's a great one for brightening up your dinner plate and is happy sown straight into the soil. | No club votes yet |
| Royal Burgundy Royal Burgundy gives you stunning purple pods that turn green when cooked, which is a bit of a talking point. Sowing these undercover can give them a head start, especially if your spring is a bit chilly. | No club votes yet |
| Kentucky Wonder (Pole) This Kentucky Wonder is a classic pole bean, offering long, tender pods with a proper old-fashioned flavor. It's a cracking choice if you have space for them to climb and want a continuous harvest. | No club votes yet |
| Fortex (Pole) Fortex is a French filet-style pole bean that produces long, slender, and very tender pods. Starting these undercover will give you a good head start, leading to an even earlier and longer harvest of these gourmet beans. | No club votes yet |
| Dragon Tongue Dragon Tongue beans are real lookers, with yellow pods splashed with purple stripes. They're incredibly tender and flavorful, making them a fantastic choice for something a bit different sown directly outside. | No club votes yet |
| Mascotte Mascotte is a compact, dwarf variety of snap bean, perfect for smaller spaces and containers. Starting these little beauties undercover means you can get them going even when it's not quite warm enough outside. | No club votes yet |
| Jade Jade is a high-yielding, dark green bean with long, straight pods that stay tender even when they get a bit bigger. It's a reliable variety for a good crop, especially if you're sowing straight into the garden. | No club votes yet |
| Tendergreen As the name suggests, Tendergreen beans are known for their lovely, tender texture and classic green bean flavor. Giving them an early start indoors means you'll be enjoying these delicious beans sooner. | No club votes yet |
| Bush Blue Lake 156 This Bush Blue Lake 156 is a bush version of the popular Blue Lake, offering good yields of flavorful, tender beans. It’s a dependable choice for direct sowing and a steady supply of classic green beans. | No club votes yet |
| Romano (Italian Flat) Romano beans, or Italian Flat beans, have broad, flat pods with a distinct, robust flavor and meaty texture. Starting them undercover can give these unique beans a head start before planting out. | No club votes yet |
| Maxibel Maxibel is a fantastic French filet bean that produces slender, elegant pods with superb flavor and texture. It's a top choice for a gourmet bean that you can sow directly into your garden patch. | No club votes yet |
Votes are members rating varieties in their Seed Tin, one vote per gardener. Tap a variety for the full page and where to buy.
Buy Snap Bean seeds
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Sowing by USDA zone
| Zone | Sow / plant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | June to July | August to September |
| Zone 4 | May to July | July to September |
| Zone 5 | May to July | July to September |
| Zone 6 | April to July | June to September |
| Zone 7 | April to August | June to October |
| Zone 8 | March to August | May to October |
| Zone 9 | February to September | April to November |
| Zone 10 | January to October | March to December |
Cook the harvest
The definitive Thanksgiving side dish, this creamy casserole combines tender snap beans with a rich mushroom cream sauce and is crowned with a thick layer of crispy fried onions that everyone fights over. It is the recipe that has appeared on millions of American holiday tables since the 1950s, and for very good reason. Made from scratch, it is far superior to any version using canned soup.
55 min · mediumSlender snap beans are blanched until perfectly tender-crisp, then tossed in a skillet with golden browned butter and toasted slivered almonds in the classic French amandine preparation. A squeeze of lemon at the end brightens the rich, nutty butter and makes this one of the most elegant vegetable side dishes in the French repertoire. It takes fifteen minutes and tastes like a restaurant.
15 min · easyInspired by the classic salade Niçoise from the south of France, this salad layers tender blanched snap beans with olives, capers, hard-boiled eggs, and canned tuna, all dressed in a bright Dijon mustard vinaigrette. The snap beans are the heart of the dish, bringing freshness and crunch to every composed bite. It is a satisfying main-course salad that comes together without any cooking beyond boiling eggs.
30 min · easySnap beans hit a ripping-hot wok and cook in minutes into blistered, tender-crisp spears glossed with a savory sesame-soy sauce that caramelizes against the hot metal. A scatter of toasted sesame seeds and a drizzle of sesame oil finish the dish with warmth and nuttiness. This is a weeknight stir-fry that takes under fifteen minutes and works beautifully as a side or over steamed rice.
15 min · easyWatch for, and grow alongside
Companions: corn, carrots, cucumbers, brassicas, summer savory
Questions people ask
When do you sow Snap Bean in the US?
Sow Snap Bean from April to July in zone 6, earlier or later by zone. Plant out August, after the last frost.
How long does Snap Bean take from sowing to harvest?
Roughly 55 days, with the harvest June to September.
Which Snap Bean varieties do gardeners grow again?
Club members rate every variety they grow. This page shows the grow-again votes for Provider, Blue Lake 274, Contender, Cherokee Wax and more.
Track your Snap Bean from packet to plate
Sowing reminders and harvest forecasts for your own frost dates, the Seed Tin, Scan Centre for any label or packet, and the Potty Mouth Garden Club. Free to start.
Allotment keeper in the North East of England, the voice behind the Tony C Smith YouTube channel, and the gardener who built GrowMore CookMore. Club numbers on this page update as members log their plots. Last updated 3 September 2026.