Bush Beans in Zone 4a & 4b

Phaseolus vulgaris

When to plant bush beans in zone 4b

Zones 4a and 4b share the same average frost dates in our data, so this page covers both.

Method: Direct sow: Direct-sow outside. Bush Beans doesn't transplant well, or doesn't need the extra time indoors.

Spacing: 9 per square foot (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 1-2 ft.

Bush beans are about as low-effort as vegetable gardening gets: direct-sow the seed after your last frost, skip the trellis entirely, and harvest in under two months. They're a good crop to fill a bed with while slower plants like peppers and tomatoes are still getting established.

How bush beans fits zone 4's season

Zone 4b's frost-free window runs about 128 days, from May 15 to September 20. Bush Beans needs about 55 days from sowing to first harvest.

Good companions

• Sweet Corn: The classic 'three sisters' pairing. WSU Extension confirms the real mechanism: corn stalks give beans something to climb, beans fix nitrogen the corn uses, and squash (the third sister) shades the soil to suppress weeds.
• Cucumber: Beans fix nitrogen that heavy-feeding cucumbers use.

Where to buy bush bean seeds

• Botanical Interests
• True Leaf Market
• Burpee
• High Mowing Organic Seeds

See why we recommend these suppliers →

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See it growing

Search YouTube for "growing bush beans" videos → (a live search, not a hand-picked video; results vary and aren't vetted by us)

← Back to the full zone 4b calendar · Full companion planting guide · Full plant profile · Plan your beds in the Garden Designer →

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Growing Bush Beans in USDA zone 4b: when to start seeds indoors, when to direct-sow, and when to expect a harvest.

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