How to grow lima bean
Family Fabaceae. Hardy to USDA hardiness zone 5a+ (U.S. Department of Agriculture). Full sun. Ready in 65-90 days.
Sun
Full sun
Spacing
4-6 in bush, 6-8 in pole
Days to harvest
65-90 days
Hardiness
Zone 5a+
What growers actually recorded
Loading zone 7b results…
When to plant lima bean
- Direct sow: ~2 weeks after last frost.
Companion plants for lima bean
Plant with: Corn, Squash, Carrot.
Avoid near: Onion, Garlic.
Common pests & problems
Mexican bean beetle, spider mite in dry heat.
Feeding & fertilizer
N-P-K ratio: LOW N: beans fix their own nitrogen
Organic options: Compost at planting is enough · Rock phosphate for pods · Wood ash for potassium if soil is deficient
When to feed: Do not add nitrogen fertilizer. You'll get leaves, no pods. One compost dose at planting.
Watch for: Inoculate seeds with rhizobia the first time you grow legumes in a bed.
N = nitrogen (leaves), P = phosphorus (roots and flowers), K = potassium (fruit and disease resistance). How to read a fertilizer label →
Grower's tip
Needs warm soil, 65F+, to germinate; started too early the seed just rots.
When to plant lima bean in your zone
Free month-by-month sowing and transplanting lists, built from frost dates for your USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) hardiness zone.
Soil & water for lima bean
Soil & pH
6.0-7.0
Loose, well-drained. Beans dislike heavy clay; loosen with compost or grow in a raised bed.
Skip nitrogen fertilizer entirely. Inoculate seed with rhizobia inoculant the first time you grow legumes in a bed: pod set doubles.
Watering
1-1.5 in / week, more during pod fill
Base watering; lima bean is more heat- and drought-tolerant than snap bean but drops flowers in a dry spell during bloom.
Lima bean needs consistently warm soil (65°F+) to germinate at all; a cold, wet spring is the most common reason for poor stands.
Knowing when to harvest
- Pods plump and well-filled but still bright green; a bulging pod that has started to yellow is over-mature and starchy.
- Snap a pod open to check bean size; harvest before pods dry down for the fresh-shell stage.
- For dry beans, wait until pods are tan, dry, and rattle when shaken.
- Pick every 2-3 days during peak season; lima bean production drops off fast once pods are left to over-mature on the vine.
Storing & keeping
Fresh-shelled lima beans keep 3-5 days refrigerated; blanch 2-3 minutes and freeze for up to a year. Dry beans store a year or more in a sealed container in a cool, dark spot. Raw lima beans (especially some large-seeded types) contain cyanogenic glycosides that release cyanide; they must always be cooked in an open, uncovered pot so the compound can gas off, never eaten raw and never pressure-cooked in a sealed pot without venting.
What to expect
Per plant: 0.5-1 lb pods per bush plant; pole types yield more over a longer season
Per sq ft: ~0.4 lb / sq ft
Troubleshooting lima bean
Poor or spotty germination
Likely cause: Soil still cold or wet; lima bean seed rots easily below 65°F
What to do: Wait until soil is reliably 65°F+ before sowing; do not rush lima bean like snap bean.
Flowers drop without setting pods
Likely cause: Heat above 90°F combined with dry conditions during bloom
What to do: Keep soil evenly moist through flowering; some drop in extreme heat is unavoidable and pods will resume when temperatures moderate.
Downy mildew (grayish fuzz on pods)
Likely cause: Humid weather and poor airflow
What to do: Space plants for airflow, avoid wetting foliage late in the day, remove infected pods.
Varieties worth growing
Fordhook 242
Heat-tolerant bush type; the standard home-garden lima.
Henderson's Bush
Small-seeded 'butter bean' type, earlier and more reliable in short seasons.
King of the Garden
Vigorous pole type with a long harvest window for gardeners with trellis space.
Growing lima bean in containers
Bush types work in a 5-gallon container; pole types need a trellis and are better suited to the ground.
Nutrition
Complete plant protein (with grains), folate, iron, molybdenum.
Common questions
Is it true you shouldn't eat raw lima beans?
Yes. Raw lima beans, particularly larger-seeded types, contain cyanogenic compounds. They are safe once cooked thoroughly in an open pot, which allows the compound to escape as gas; never eat them raw.
Why did my lima beans barely come up?
Lima bean seed is very sensitive to cold, wet soil and rots before it germinates. Wait for warm soil, 65°F or higher, before sowing.
Where these numbers come from
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023 revision). Zone assignment and the 30-year normals behind every cold-hardiness figure.
- NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 Climate Normals. Frost dates, growing-season length, and the probability bands on both.
- Cornell, UMN, and UC Davis Cooperative Extension crop guides. Spacing, days to maturity, soil pH targets, and per-plant yield ranges.
- USDA FSIS / FDA Produce Safety guidance. Wash, cure, and cold-storage handling numbers.
Ranges are regional guidance, not a promise for your yard. Your own logged results always override the published range.