Lima Bean Growing Guide
Growing Lima Bean is easier than you think. This guide walks you through everything you need — from planting your first seed to harvesting.
At a Glance
Difficulty
Easy
Category
Vegetable
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Tender
Cold Hardiness
Survives to 4°C
Plant Family
Fabaceae
Growing Season
Warm Season
Plant Lifecycle
Annual
Also grows well as
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Sow direct 3 cm deep, 15 cm apart, only once the soil is reliably warm (18°C+) — they're fussier about cold than green beans. Provide a trellis for pole types.
A warm-season shelling bean (also called butter bean) that needs even more warmth than common beans — don't rush it into cold soil or the seed rots. Comes in bush and pole types. A nitrogen-fixer that feeds the soil. Always cook limas before eating.
When To Start
First Chance to Plant
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Last Chance to Plant
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When should you plant Lima Bean?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Lima Bean Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Expect sprouts in 7–18 days
Growing Tips
- 1The main thing limas want is warmth — wait for warm soil, then they're easy.
- 2Don't over-feed with nitrogen, water steadily during flowering and pod set, and pick often to keep them cropping.
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
~80
Days to Maturity
60 cm
Mature Height
30 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
30 days
When to Pick
Pick when pods are well-filled and bumpy but still green
How to Harvest
- 1Pick when the pods are plump and bumpy with seeds but still green, for fresh shelling beans — keep picking and the plants keep producing.
- 2Or leave them to dry on the plant for dried beans.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
How to Save Seeds
Let pods dry fully on the plant, shell out the flat seeds, and store dry. Note: raw lima beans need cooking before eating.
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