How to Grow Beans in Australia
Updated June 2026
Bush, climbing, broad, and snake beans with planting calendars for every region
Beans are one of the most productive crops you can grow. They're fast, reliable, and improve your soil by fixing nitrogen. Whether you have a big backyard or a single pot on a balcony, there's a bean variety that will work for you.
This guide covers the main types of beans grown in Australia, the best varieties, trellis options, and when to plant in your region.
What it looks like as it grows
Pick Your Bean Type
The four kinds of bean grown in Australia want different spacing, different support, and different sowing months. Choose your type and your climate and the planner sets you straight.
Position and Soil
Beans want full sun, at least six hours a day, and soil that drains freely. They are legumes, so they make their own nitrogen with the help of soil bacteria on their roots. That means you do not need a rich, heavily fed bed. A spadeful of compost worked through before sowing is plenty.
Dig over the bed and break up any clods so seedlings push through easily. If your soil is acidic, a light dusting of garden lime a few weeks before sowing helps, especially for broad beans, which prefer a near-neutral soil. Avoid fresh manure or high-nitrogen fertiliser, which drives leafy growth at the expense of pods.
Sowing
Beans are always sown direct where they are to grow. They resent root disturbance and seldom recover well from transplanting. Sow seeds 3 to 5 cm deep and water in gently.
Bush and climbing beans are warm-season crops. Wait until the soil is above 16 degrees and all danger of frost has passed, which in most regions means September to January. In subtropical and tropical zones you can start earlier and finish later, sowing through the cooler dry months and avoiding the wettest, hottest part of summer. Broad beans are the exception: sow them in autumn and winter, roughly March to July, because they need cool weather to set pods. Snake beans love heat and are sown in late spring and summer in warm zones.
Spacing
Spacing depends on the type. Bush beans go 10 to 15 cm apart in the row, climbing beans 15 to 20 cm, broad beans about 20 cm, and snake beans 20 to 30 cm. Leave 40 to 60 cm between rows so air moves freely and you can pick from both sides. The selector above gives the exact figures for your chosen type.
Watering and Feeding
Keep the soil evenly moist, especially once plants begin to flower. Dry spells at flowering cause flowers to drop and pods to set poorly. Water at the base in the morning rather than over the leaves, which helps keep fungal problems down.
Because beans fix their own nitrogen, they need little feeding. A side dressing of potash or a watering with seaweed solution when the first flowers appear supports a heavy pod set. Mulch around the base to hold moisture and keep the roots cool.
Common Problems
Poor germination
Beans rot in cold, wet soil. Wait until soil is above 16 degrees before sowing, except for broad beans, which are sown into cool autumn soil. Sow direct rather than transplanting.
Bean fly
Small flies lay eggs in the stems of young plants, causing wilting and collapse. They are most damaging to seedlings in warm, humid areas. Cover young plants with fine insect mesh until they are well established.
Flowers dropping
Heat stress above 32 degrees makes flowers fall before they set pods. Keep the water up and mulch the roots, and the plants will set again once the weather eases. In the hottest months, snake beans crop happily where regular beans stall.
Chocolate spot (broad beans)
Brown spots on leaves and pods, caused by a fungus in wet, humid conditions. Improve air circulation by spacing plants about 20 cm apart and avoid overhead watering.
Harvest
Pick beans young and pick often. Regular harvesting tells the plant to keep flowering, while pods left to swell and toughen signal it to stop. Bush beans give a heavy flush over three to four weeks, climbing beans crop steadily over a longer season, and snake beans are best picked under 30 cm while still tender. Broad beans are ready when the pods feel full and the beans inside are plump but not leathery.
Varieties
| Variety | Type | Days to harvest | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Lake | Climbing | 70 to 80 | The classic. Straight, stringless green pods over a long season. Reliable in every climate. Needs a 2 m trellis. |
| Purple King | Climbing | 70 to 80 | Striking purple pods that turn green when cooked. Easy to spot at picking time. Very productive. |
| Borlotti | Bush or climbing | 80 to 95 | Italian heirloom for fresh and dried beans. Speckled red and cream pods. Slower than green beans. |
| Broad Windsor | Broad | 110 to 130 | The standard broad bean. Sown autumn and winter. Large flat pods, creamy beans. Tolerates light frost. |
| Snake Bean | Climbing (heat) | 70 to 85 | Long thin pods to 50 cm. Thrives in heat and humidity. Ideal for tropical and subtropical summers. |
| Hawkesbury Wonder | Bush | 60 to 70 | Aussie favourite dwarf bean. Heavy early flush, no support needed. Great for succession sowing. |
Track Your Bean Growing
Add beans to your garden in the Planting Season app and get reminders for sowing, trellising, and harvest time.
Open the App →Frequently Asked Questions
When should I plant beans in Australia?
Bush and climbing beans are warm-season crops. Plant after the last frost when soil is above 16 degrees. In most regions, this means September to January. Broad beans are different: plant them in autumn and winter (March to July). Snake beans are sown in late spring and summer in warm zones.
How long do beans take to grow?
Bush beans produce pods in 8 to 10 weeks from sowing. Climbing beans take 10 to 12 weeks but produce for longer. Broad beans take 14 to 18 weeks. Snake beans take 10 to 12 weeks.
Do beans need a trellis?
Climbing beans and snake beans need a trellis, tepee, or other support at least 2 metres tall. Bush beans are self-supporting and need no trellis. Broad beans stay upright on their own but a light stake or a string run along the row stops tall plants flopping in wind.
How far apart should I plant beans?
Space bush beans 10 to 15 cm apart in the row. Climbing beans go 15 to 20 cm apart. Broad beans want about 20 cm. Snake beans need 20 to 30 cm. Allow 40 to 60 cm between rows so you can pick from both sides.
Can I save bean seeds for next year?
Beans are one of the easiest crops to save seeds from. Leave some pods on the plant until they are completely dry and brown. Shell the dried beans and store in a cool, dry place. They stay viable for 3 to 4 years.
Why are my beans flowering but not setting pods?
Flowers that drop without forming pods are usually a sign of heat stress. Beans struggle to set when daytime temperatures stay above 32 degrees. Keep the water up, mulch the roots, and the plants will set again once the weather eases. In the hottest months, swap to snake beans, which thrive in the heat.
See also: Beans in the Plant Library
