When to plant green beans (bush) in USDA Zone 5a

Plan your green beans (bush) 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.

Madison WI, Des Moines, southern MN, central MI. Average last spring frost May 8, first fall frost September 29 — a 144-day frost-free season.

Zone fit: good
Green beans (bush) 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 8 – May 29
Expected first harvest
July 9 – August 6
Fall planting window
July 14 – August 4
Fall harvest window
September 14 – October 12

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
4″
Row spacing
24″
Seed depth
1″
Soil temperature
65–85°F
Frost tolerance
tender
Days to harvest
55 days

Grower notes for Zone 5a

Do not soak seed — beans rot easily. Successive plantings every 2 weeks until 60 days before first frost.

Plant near: corn, cucumbers, carrots

Keep away from: onions, garlic

Other legumes for Zone 5a

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.