When to sow French Bean (Dwarf) in the UK
French Bean (Dwarf) is frost-tender, so the right week to sow it depends on where in the UK you garden.
Sowing and harvest dates by region
French Bean (Dwarf) is frost-tender, so its timings shift across the UK. Plot works them out from the Midlands and Lowland Wales baseline using Met Office average frost dates.
| Where you are | Sow indoors | Sow outdoors | Plant out | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South West Coast and Cornwall | late March to early April | mid April to late May | late April to early May | late May to mid August |
| South Coast and Channel | late March to mid April | late April to early June | early May to mid May | early June to late August |
| Greater London (Urban Heat Island) | late March to early April | mid April to late May | late April to early May | late May to mid August |
| South East and Home Counties | mid April to late April | early May to mid June | mid May to late May | mid June to early September |
| East Anglia | mid April to early May | mid May to late June | late May to early June | late June to mid September |
| Midlands and Lowland Wales | late April to early May | late May to early July | late May to mid June | early July to mid September |
| Wales and West Coast | mid April to late April | early May to mid June | mid May to late May | mid June to early September |
| Northern England | early May to mid May | late May to mid July | early June to mid June | mid July to late September |
| Scotland Lowlands and Central Belt | early May to late May | early June to mid July | mid June to late June | mid July to early October |
| Scotland Highlands and Islands | late May to mid June | late June to early August | early July to mid July | early August to late October |
| Northern Ireland | mid April to early May | mid May to late June | late May to early June | late June to mid September |
| Channel Islands and Isle of Man | mid March to late March | mid April to late May | mid April to early May | late May to early August |
Growing notes
No supports needed; sow in blocks or double rows so plants support each other and add twiggy sticks in exposed spots.
At a glance
- Spacing
- 15 cm between plants
- Row spacing
- 30 cm
- Plants per m²
- 25
- Days to maturity
- 60 days
- Yield per plant
- 0.4 kg
- Sun
- Full
- Frost tender
- Yes
- Grows in a container
- Yes, 20 litres or more
- Minimum soil depth
- 25 cm
- Balcony rating
- 4 out of 5
Succession sowing
Worth sowing in batches. Sow again every 21 days, up to about 3 sowings in a season, for a longer picking window rather than one glut.
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 (dwarf).