When’s the Best Time to Plant Green Beans in Illinois?
For Illinois gardeners, green beans are a popular vegetable to grow for their productivity, versatility, and nutrients. However, knowing precisely when to sow green bean seeds can be tricky. Plant too early when soil temperatures are still cool and seeds will rot. Plant too late and your plants won’t have time to mature before the first fall frost.
Luckily, timing green bean planting in Illinois is easy if you follow some key tips. In this article, we’ll cover:
- The ideal planting window based on frost dates
- Tips for adjusting planting dates
- How to start seeds indoors
- Protecting plants from unexpected frosts
- Ensuring enough time for harvest before fall
Follow these guidelines for the besttiming and you’ll be rewarded with a bountiful green bean crop this year,
Average Last Frost Date in Illinois
The most important factor in determining green bean planting time is the date of your last expected spring frost. Green bean plants are extremely susceptible to frost damage, which will kill them if temps dip near freezing.
Here are the average dates for the last spring frost in major cities across Illinois
- Chicago: May 15
- Rockford: May 10
- Peoria: April 30
- Springfield: April 25
- Champaign: April 20
- Carbondale: April 15
These provide a good benchmark, but keep in mind your specific area’s microclimate can differ. Track your local conditions.
How Long Do Green Beans Take to Germinate and Grow?
From seed to seedling takes 5-14 days. Then young plants need about 4-6 weeks of growth before they start flowering and setting bean pods.
So for most of Illinois, you’ll want to sow seeds roughly 6-8 weeks before your average last frost so plants are mature when the danger has passed.
Adjusting Planting Dates for Your Conditions
The average last frost dates are a good starting point. But real-time weather monitoring is crucial for fine-tuning your green bean planting:
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If winters were mild, spring may arrive early. Start checking forecasts 2-3 weeks before your average date and plant earlier if you foresee extended warmer temps.
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After a harsh winter, spring development often lags. Wait until the two-week forecast shows no frost before planting.
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Track soil temperature. Beans won’t sprout until soil is at least 60-65°F. If still cool, delay planting.
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Watch the 10-day outlook when seeds start sprouting. Be ready to protect if a late frost forms.
Stay vigilant so you can modify for changing conditions and ensure planting at the optimal moment.
Starting Seeds Indoors for an Earlier Start
For a head start on the season, start green bean seeds indoors 3-4 weeks before your expected outdoor planting date. Use individual peat pots or cell packs so you won’t disturb the roots at transplanting. Beans don’t like to be started too far in advance, so time it right.
Provide plenty of light from a south-facing window or grow lights. Maintain warm room temperatures around 70°F until sprouting, then cooler 65-70°F after they emerge. Water regularly but avoid saturating the soil.
Harden off the seedlings by setting them outdoors in partial shade for a few hours daily about 1-2 weeks before your last average frost date. Then transplant to the garden after all danger of frost has passed.
Protecting Beans If a Late Frost Strikes
Green beans can be tricky because even if you timed planting well, a freak late frost can threaten your plants. Here are some protection methods if cold snaps arise:
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Cover with horticultural fleece, old sheets, or fabric row cover. Use supports like hoops to keep material off plant leaves.
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For potted plants, bring containers indoors to a garage, basement, or protected porch on cold nights.
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Water plants well before a frost to keep cells insulated. Avoid overhead watering that can freeze.
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Sprinkle granular fertilizers to help stabilize plant cells against freeze damage.
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Prune any damage to stems, leaves, flowers after frost passes and let plants regrow.
With quick action, green beans can bounce back from brief light frosts. Be ready to implement emergency measures if needed.
Allowing Enough Time to Harvest Before Fall
When determining your planting date, also consider maturity times so beans ripen before the first fall frosts halt growth. Here are approximate maturity ranges:
- Bush beans: 45-60 days
- Pole beans: 50-75 days
Compare to your average first fall frost timing:
- Chicago: October 15
- Rockford: October 1
- Peoria: October 10
- Springfield: October 5
- Champaign: October 15
- Carbondale: October 20
For example, if you’re in Chicago, planting pole bean seeds in early June will allow roughly 20 weeks until frost, enough time to harvest multiple bean yields.
Key Tips for Planting Green Beans in Illinois
Follow these core recommendations for great results with green beans in the Prairie State:
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Wait to plant until 2 weeks after your area’s average final spring frost date has passed.
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To start earlier, sow seeds indoors in individual containers 4 weeks before your outdoor planting date.
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Monitor forecasts and plant earlier if an unusually warm spring is predicted or soil temp exceeds 65°F.
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Be prepared to protect young plants if late frost sneaks up.
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Choose early maturing bean cultivars and sow 10-12 weeks before your first average fall frost date.
With the right timing, you’ll be picking bountiful green beans all season long in Illinois! Adjust as needed based on weather patterns but using these planting guidelines as a starting point can help optimize your gardening success.
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Snap beans are popular garden veggie.
This bean is a tender, warm season vegetable that ranks second to tomato in popularity in home gardens.
Bush beans stand upright without support. Green bush beans were formerly called “string beans” because fiber developed along the seams of the pods. Plant breeders have reduced these fibers through selection and green beans are now referred to as “snap beans. “.
Pole beans are vining plants and climb supports and can be easily harvested.
Beans are sensitive to cold temperatures and frost. They should be planted after all danger of frost has passed in the spring. Check your local frost free date. If the soil has warmed before the average last-frost date, an early planting may be made a week to 10 days before this date. You can assure yourself a continuous supply of snap beans by planting every 2 to 4 weeks until early August.
Plant seeds of all varieties one inch deep. Bush bean seeds should be planted at least 18 to 24 inches apart, 2 to 4 inches apart. Plant pole bean seeds 30 to 36 inches apart in rows 4 to 6 inches apart or 30 inches apart in hills with 4 to 6 seeds per hill and 30 inches between rows.
Seeds of most varieties tend to crack and germinate poorly if the soils moisture content is too high. For this reason, never soak bean seeds before planting. Instead, water just after planting or plant right before a heavy rain.
Frequent shallow cultivation and hoeing are necessary to control small weeds and grasses. Because bean plants’ root systems aren’t very strong or deep, deep, close cultivation hurts the roots, delays harvest, and lowers yields.
Bean mosaic diseases cause plants to turn a yellowish green and produce few or no pods. The leaves on infected plants are a mottled yellow and are usually irregularly shaped. The only satisfactory control for these diseases is to use mosaic-resistant bean varieties.
Bovine bean blight is shown by spots on the leaves that are bright yellow or brown or spots on the pods that are wet. Bacterial blight can be avoided by planting disease-free seed, staying away from wet bean plants, and cleaning up the garden of all bean waste.
Pick the pods when they are firm, crisp, and fully extended, but before the seed inside has grown much.
- When the dew is off the plants and the beans are completely dry, you can pick them.
- Beam bacterial blight, a disease that does a lot of damage to plants, can be spread by picking beans from wet plants.
- Most bean varieties have stems and branches that are easy to break, so be careful not to do that.
- If the pods are kept off the plant before the seeds are fully developed, the bean plant keeps making new flowers and more beans.
Legume is the scientific classification for beans. It covers all plants that develop pods as fruit. Fresh beans (as opposed to dried) vary in color, shape and length of pod. Green beans, Chinese long beans, tiny green beans (Haricot), and Fava beans are some of the fresh beans that you can buy. This section will focus on bush beans and pole beans which are common garden varieties.
Harvest fresh beans before they become tough and stringy. If you can see the bean’s bulge through the green pod, it’s too mature and needs to be shelled (except for pole beans). At this stage the pod is too tough to eat. By planting garden beans every two weeks, you can avoid having all of them ready to pick at the same time.
Bush and pole beans that have not been washed can be kept in the vegetable crisper of the fridge for up to three days in plastic bags.
- Do not wash them before storing.
- Wet beans will develop black spots and decay quickly.
- Wash beans just before preparation.
Q. My beans appear healthy, but not many beans have formed. Why not?
A. The blossoms drop and fail to form pods during periods of hot, dry winds.
Q. Is it a good practice to plant pole beans at the base of corn plant for double cropping?.
A. No. Neither crop can reach its maximum potential. Weed control becomes difficult and cornstalks offer weak support when the beans are maturing.
Q. Is it necessary to plant beans in a different area of the garden each year?
A. Yes. Beans are subject to diseases that may carry over in the soil to reinfect the following bean crop.
Q. Will bean varieties cross in my garden?
A. Because the flowers are largely self-pollinated, bean varieties usually do not cross. These crosses show up only when seed is saved from cross-pollinated flowers. In any event, you should obtain new seeds each year to avoid seedborne diseases.
Q. Can I use beans from my garden that have matured past the green, edible stage?
A. Yes. Snap beans (pole or bush) can be picked for shellouts and dry beans. Lima beans can be picked for butter beans.
Q. Why do some snap bean varieties have white seeds?
A. Most bean varieties are developed for the canning and freezing industry. When varieties with colored seeds are used, the cooking water is slightly off-color. White seed is preferred because it does not discolor the cooking water.
Q. What are the fuzzy, bright yellow insects on my bean plants?
A. These are larvae of the Mexican bean beetle. The adult resembles a large ladybug. The larvae do the most damage. They are generally not a serious problem, but they occasionally reach damaging numbers, particularly early in the season.
A Farmer’s Guide to Mastering Growing Green Beans
FAQ
What month do you plant green beans?
Is it too late to plant green beans now?
When should I start planting my garden in Illinois?
Should I soak green beans before planting?
When should you plant a garden in Illinois?
Use the frost dates maps to determine the earliest and latest freezes in your area. For example, the data for Macon County in central Illinois outlined below would lead a cautious gardener or a gardener with only warm-season plants to plant outside in mid-May. A common guideline for that region is that it is safe to plant after Mother’s Day.
Can you plant green bean seeds indoors?
Don’t plant too early, as cold, moist soil will delay germination and could cause the seeds to rot. Tip: To get a head start on planting, place black plastic or landscaping fabric over your garden beds to warm the soil prior to sowing seeds. Do not start green bean seeds indoors. Due to their fragile roots, they may not survive transplanting.
How do you pick green beans?
Pick green beans every day; the more you pick, the more beans grow. Green beans are picked young and tender before the seeds inside have fully developed. Look for firm, sizable pods that are firm and can be snapped—generally as thick as a pencil. Snap or cut the beans off the plant, being careful not to tear the plant.
How do you grow green beans in a container?
Put two beans into each hole between 1 and 11⁄2 inches deep. Eliminate the weaker one after germination by cutting the stem. (Do not allow two plants to coexist in one hole; neither will thrive.) To care for your container of green beans, provide 6 to 8 hours of sun per day. Whenever the soil is dry, water to a depth of 1 to 2 inches.