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VegetablesHalf-HardyAnnual
French Bean
French bean is a warm-season legume grown for crisp tender pods, with this entry representing the taller climbing forms grown up canes or supports. It is quick, productive and especially useful for fresh summer picking when pods are harvested young and often.
Basic information
Category
Vegetables
Lifecycle
Annual
Hardiness
Half-Hardy
Planting partners
5 companions · 6 crops to avoid
Growth profile
Days to harvest
60 days
Germination window
7–10 days
Germination temperature
16–24 °C
Plant spacing
20 cm
Row spacing
45 cm
Sowing depth
4 cm
Height
200 cm
Spread
30 cm
Calendar
JJan
FFeb
MMar
AApr
MMay
JJun
JJul
AAug
SSep
OOct
NNov
DDec
Sow Indoors
Sow Outdoors
Plant Out
Flowering / Harvest
Timings based on average frost dates in the UK. Sign up to set your frost dates.
Care tips
Wait until soil has warmed before sowing or planting, because cold checks growth and can rot seed. Handle roots gently, keep moisture even while plants flower and set pods, and pick frequently while pods are slim and tender.
Common pests
Black bean aphid, slugs, halo blight, mice.
