Pods & fruit
Beans (bush/French)
Compact plants with tender green pods.
Sowing & planting windows in Australia
Planting timing varies by broad Australian gardening zone. Local weather, unusual seasons and your garden’s microclimate can shift timing.
Cool
Sow · Oct-Jan
Core months: January, October, November, December
Temperate
Sow · Sep-Feb
Core months: January, February, September, October, November, December
Subtropical
Sow · Aug-Apr
Core months: January, February, March, April, August, September, October, November, December
Tropical
Sow · Mar-Aug
Core months: March, April, May, June, July, August
Arid
Sow · Sep-Feb
Core months: January, February, September, October, November, December
Getting started
Sow seed directly where the plants will grow, into soil that has warmed. This entry covers bush or French beans; climbing beans need a different support arrangement.
The right conditions
Choose sun and fertile, well-drained soil. Cold, wet soil can cause seed to rot, while frost damages young growth.
As it grows
Keep moisture steady as plants flower and form pods. Weed gently around shallow roots. Avoid handling foliage when wet, as this can spread disease.
Ready to harvest
Pick pods while tender and before the seeds inside become large. Check plants regularly during cropping; bush varieties often give a relatively concentrated harvest.
Related how-to guides
Pick peas and beans at the right stage
Check the crop: snow peas are picked flat, shelling peas when peas fill the pod, and green beans while pods are tender before seeds bulge strongly.
Plant guidance: Desk-reviewed against linked sources; not field-tested. Planting windows are a guide rather than a rule.