When to plant pole beans in USDA Zone 4b

Plan your pole beans planting around local frost risk and soil temperature, then work backward from the harvest week your buyers need. The calendar below is a starting point, not a field-level weather forecast.

Minneapolis, Duluth, central WI, northern VT/NH. Average last spring frost May 15, first fall frost September 22 — a 130-day frost-free season.

Zone fit: good
Pole beans is frost-tender, so timing the outdoor transplant to the last frost matters more here than in warmer zones. Row cover buys 2 weeks of head start.

Key dates

Direct-seed outdoors
May 15 – June 5
Expected first harvest
July 26 – August 23

Windows are calculated from your zone's average frost dates. Adjust ±1 week for microclimates, elevation, and your own frost records.

Spacing and soil

Plant spacing
6″
Row spacing
36″
Seed depth
1″
Soil temperature
65–85°F
Frost tolerance
tender
Days to harvest
65 days

Grower notes for Zone 4b

Trellis 6–8 ft high. Pole beans yield 2–3× bush beans per row-foot over the season.

Plant near: corn, radish

Keep away from: onions, beets

Other legumes for Zone 4b

Same crop, other zones

Track your own plantings

BAU Farm Intelligence turns these windows into per-field tasks — indoor seed-start reminders, transplant dates, harvest projections — using your farm's actual frost history.

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