How to grow lima bean
Phaseolus lunatus · Fabaceae · Vegetable
When to plant lima beans: the short answer
Sow outdoors about 2 weeks after the last frost. Wait until the soil is at least 65°F; lima beans sprout fastest near 80°F.
Zone 5: sow May 9 – May 28. Zone 7: sow Apr 14 – May 3. Zone 9: sow Mar 1 – Mar 20. See every zone.
Lima Bean is a warm-season vegetable in the Fabaceae family, almost always sown straight into the ground where it will grow. It wants full sun (six or more hours of direct light) and steady, even moisture. From sowing to first pick is about 65–95 days. It is killed by frost, so nothing goes outside until the danger has passed and the soil has warmed.
Grower’s note: Needs more heat and a longer season than snap beans and rots in cold, wet soil - wait for real warmth. Bush types for shorter seasons; pole types (butter beans) crop for weeks in hot-summer regions.
Sowing
Sow about 1.5″ deep, into soil between 65–85°F — germination is quickest near 80°F. It is slow and often erratic to germinate (7–18 days). It does not transplant well, so sow it in its final position rather than starting it in pots.
Spacing & layout
Give each plant about 4″ along the row with roughly 30″ between rows. On a square-foot grid that is 4 per square foot. Allow at least 18″ of loose, workable soil for the roots. It grows well in containers at least 12″ deep.
Fitting it to your season
Lima Bean needs roughly 65–95 frost-free days to crop. Where the season is shorter than that, start it indoors and choose the earliest-maturing varieties, or grow it in a container you can move under cover on cold nights. In long, hot-summer regions it can often be planted twice — once in spring and again in mid-to-late summer for a fall harvest.
Quick facts
Growth stages: how long lima beans take to grow
From sowing to first harvest takes roughly 65-95 days (9-14 weeks), with seedlings appearing after 7-18 days in soil around 80°F.
When to plant lima bean
When to plant lima beans by USDA zone
Dates worked out from each zone’s typical frost dates for 2026. Find your zone on the zone map, or pick your state below for dates from its own frost dates. Zones 11 and above are frost-free, so timing there depends on heat and rain instead.
| Zone | Last / first frost | Start indoors | Sow or plant out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | May 15 / Sep 15 | - | May 24 – Jun 12 |
| Zone 4 | May 10 / Sep 25 | - | May 19 – Jun 7 |
| Zone 5 | Apr 30 / Oct 5 | - | May 9 – May 28 |
| Zone 6 | Apr 15 / Oct 15 | - | Apr 24 – May 13 |
| Zone 7 | Apr 5 / Oct 25 | - | Apr 14 – May 3 |
| Zone 8 | Mar 20 / Nov 5 | - | Mar 29 – Apr 17 |
| Zone 9 | Feb 20 / Nov 30 | - | Mar 1 – Mar 20 |
| Zone 10 | Jan 30 / Dec 15 | - | Feb 8 – Feb 27 |
Companions
Sweet Corn, Cucumber, Potato
Onion, Garlic, Beet
Common problems
Pests: Mexican bean beetle, aphids, stink bug.
Diseases & disorders: anthracnose, downy mildew, root rot.
Same family (Fabaceae)
Rotate these so they don’t follow each other in the same bed year to year.
Questions gardeners ask
When should I plant lima beans?
Sow outdoors about 2 weeks after the last frost. Wait until the soil is at least 65°F. The table on this page gives dates for each USDA zone, and the planting calendar gives dates for your own state or ZIP code.
How long do lima beans take to grow?
About 65-95 days from sowing to the first harvest. Seeds germinate in 7-18 days, fastest in soil around 80°F.
How much sun do lima beans need?
They need at least six to eight hours of direct sun a day.
What soil pH do lima beans need?
A soil pH between 6.0 and 7.0. Test before adding lime or sulfur - see the soil pH and testing guide.
How far apart should I plant lima beans?
Space plants about 4 inches apart in rows 30 inches apart, or 4 per square foot in a square-foot bed. Sow seeds about 1.5 inches deep.
Can I grow lima beans in a container?
Yes. Use a container at least 12 inches deep with drainage holes and a good potting mix, and water more often than you would in the ground.
Figures are typical home-garden ranges from Cooperative Extension planting guides, cross-checked against multiple state sources. Your variety and conditions will vary.