edenhana

Dwarf Beans

No support needed and quick to crop; a good warm-season starter vegetable for new gardeners.

Sun
full sun
Water
moderate
Spacing
10cm
Harvest
Ready in 55-65 days
Difficulty
beginner
Grows in
Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Hamilton / Waikato, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Napier / Hawke's Bay, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson, Tasman, Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago, Invercargill / Southland
Expected yield
Continuous pods over 6+ weeks
Cost to grow
~$6 NZD
Grocery value
~$30 NZD
Companion plants
Carrots, Cauliflowers, Celery, Cucumbers, Marigolds, Sweetcorn
Plants to avoid nearby
Capsicums, Chives, Garlic, Leeks, Onions, Tomatoes, Cabbages
Common diseases
Rust
Common pests
Black aphid, Whitefly

When to plant by region

In Whangārei / Northland, Auckland, Tauranga / Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Napier / Hawke's Bay: January and September-December. In Hamilton / Waikato, New Plymouth / Taranaki, Palmerston North / Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Nelson and Tasman: October-December. In Blenheim / Marlborough, West Coast, Christchurch / Canterbury, Dunedin / Otago and Invercargill / Southland: November-December.

Growing stages

  1. Germination & sowing

    • Direct sow once soil has warmed, as this is a warm-season crop; no support structure is needed
    • Cold or wet soil at sowing can cause seed to rot before it germinates

  2. Seedling & establishment

    • Black aphid can colonise young shoots quickly; check growing tips regularly
    • Whitefly can also appear on the undersides of young leaves as seedlings establish

  3. Vegetative growth

    • Whitefly can build up on the undersides of leaves
    • Rust may appear as orange pustules on foliage later in the season

  4. Flowering & podding

    • Keep watching for black aphid and whitefly, which can affect flowering and pod set if left unchecked
    • Remove badly rust-affected leaves to limit spread

  5. Harvest55-65 days from sowing, over 6+ weeks of picking

    • Pick pods regularly to keep plants producing continuously over the 6+ week harvest window
    • Rust can still spread on foliage during harvest in humid weather, so remove badly affected leaves

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