Growing Beans - dwarf, also French beans, Bush beans

Phaseolus vulgaris : Fabaceae / the pea or legume family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
P                 P P P

(Best months for growing Beans - dwarf in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

  • P = Sow seed
  • Easy to grow. Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 61°F and 86°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 2 - 6 inches apart
  • Harvest in 7-10 weeks. Pick often to encourage more flower production.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Sweetcorn, spinach, lettuce, summer savory, dill, carrots, brassicas, beets, radish, strawberry and cucumbers, tagates minuta (wild marigold)
  • Avoid growing close to: Alliums (Chives, leek, garlic, onions) Sunflower
  • A dwarf bean seedling
  • Bush/Dwarf beans

Traditionally sown in rows, dwarf beans also grow well 'broadcast' or scattered over an area. Just scatter the seed (don't worry about the odd ones which are close up). Cover with soil, potting mix, or compost and firm down with the back of a spade or rake. Grown this way the beans will mostly shade out competing weeds and 'self-mulch'.

Keep watered and watch for shield bugs and green caterpillars Pick the beans regularly to encourage new flowers. Flowering will slow right down if you let the beans get too large (hard and stringy) on the plants. For a continuous crop, plant more seed as soon as the previous planting starts to flower. Protect against snails and slugs - they will completely destroy newly sprouted beans, and will eat the leaves off grown plants.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Beans - dwarf

Can be used in salads when young, blanched and cooled.
Will freeze well.

Your comments and tips

Post a comment or question Display Newest first | Oldest first, Show comments for New Zealand | for all countries
26 Jan 21, Steve Green (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Hi, can dwarf runner beans be over-watered please? Mine were great, then the leaves looked a wee bit brown so my Mom watered them and this morning they look like they're dying, the leaves have curled and they re wilting.
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27 Jan 21, Anonymous (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
If you have heavy clay soil you could over water. Could be wilt.
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02 Dec 20, Mat B (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Hello, My dwarf beans are flowering and healthy, however they've mostly fallen over... how should I keep these growing up? Thanks.
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03 Dec 20, Anonymous (New Zealand - temperate climate)
When growing dwarf beans it is best to hill the soil up around the stem when they are half grown, this helps support the stems/plants. Have someone help you to hold the plant steady while you hill the soil up around them now. Do it asap.
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21 Apr 20, Paul Tooley (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
we live next to sea in Auckland with no frost-will sprouted dwarf beans grow through May
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22 Apr 20, Anon (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Go to the bean page and read when to plant beans in sub-tropical New Zealand. That is the main purpose of this web site, to find out when to plant and how to grow things.
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11 Apr 20, Jo Rosen (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Hi does the frost kill dwarf beans. Wild ones are sprouting everywhere so transplanting. Am I wasting my time
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12 Apr 20, Liz at Gardenate (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Yes, frost will kill your bean plants. If they are still producing beans, you could leave them until they die off then dig them in to help improve the soil.
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27 Jul 18, debi riordan (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
When you say don't plant beans too close to garlic.... how close is too close? I have garlic growing in my raised garden bed and was going to plant yellow beans about 30cm from them. Is that too close?
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11 Sep 18, Mike (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Probably 4-5' away min.
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Showing 1 - 10 of 20 comments
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I don't stake my beans. But I do put stakes at the end of each row and run some string along both sides of the row so it can hold up the branches. So they are leaning over the string. It keeps them off the groung and stops them from getting to tangled.

- Colby

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