When to sow French Bean (Climbing) in the UK
Across the UK the first sowing of french bean (climbing) falls 11 weeks apart — mid April in the mildest areas, late June in the coldest. That gap is why a single national sowing date is wrong for almost everybody.
Sowing and harvest dates by region
Timings below are adjusted from the midlands and lowland wales baseline using Met Office average last and first frost dates for each area.
| Where you are | Sow indoors | Sow outdoors | Plant out | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South West Coast and Cornwall | mid March to mid April | mid April to late May | mid April to early May | mid June to mid September |
| South Coast and Channel | late March to mid April | late April to early June | late April to mid May | mid June to mid September |
| Greater London (Urban Heat Island) | mid March to mid April | mid April to late May | mid April to early May | mid June to mid September |
| South East and Home Counties | early April to early May | early May to mid June | early May to late May | early July to early October |
| East Anglia | mid April to early May | mid May to late June | mid May to early June | mid July to early October |
| Midlands and Lowland Wales | mid April to mid May | late May to early July | late May to mid June | mid July to mid October |
| Wales and West Coast | early April to early May | early May to mid June | early May to late May | early July to early October |
| Northern England | late April to late May | late May to mid July | late May to mid June | late July to late October |
| Scotland Lowlands and Central Belt | early May to late May | early June to mid July | early June to late June | early August to late October |
| Scotland Highlands and Islands | late May to mid June | late June to early August | late June to mid July | late August to late November |
| Northern Ireland | mid April to early May | mid May to late June | mid May to early June | mid July to early October |
| Channel Islands and Isle of Man | early March to early April | mid April to late May | mid April to early May | early June to early September |
Growing notes
Slower to start than dwarf French beans but then crops from mid-summer to early autumn from a small footprint, so build a 2.5m wigwam or A-frame before sowing. Sow outdoors only once frost has passed, usually late May or early June, and pick every few days.
At a glance
- Spacing
- 15 cm between plants
- Row spacing
- 45 cm
- Plants per m²
- 12
- Days to maturity
- 80 days
- Yield per plant
- 1.2 kg
- Sun
- Full sun
- Frost tender
- Yes — do not plant out until after the last frost
- Grows in a container
- Yes, 40 litres or more
- Minimum soil depth
- 30 cm
- Balcony rating
- 3 out of 5
What usually goes wrong
- black bean aphid
- bean seed fly
- bean rust
- slugs
Companion planting
Grows well near
Keep away from
Related guides
Timings cross-checked against RHS guidance for french bean (climbing).