60-90 days. Annual. Native to Central America, lima beans are ideal for growing in warmer climates with plenty of sun. Reaching maturity after about sixty days of planting, lima beans can thrive in soils that drain well and have an average temperature. They have been described as having a buttery texture with a delicate flavor, and these beans are great for canning and freezing.
Growing Lima Beans Garden Crop
- Latin Name: Phaseolus lunatus
- Other Names: Butter beans, Chad beans,Carolina beans,Haba bean, Pallar bean, Burma bean, Guffin bean, Hibbert bean, Sieva bean, Rangoon bean, Madagascar bean, Paiga, Paigya, prolific bean, civet bean, sugar bean
- Days to Maturity: 60-90 days
- Hardiness Zone: 3-9
- Planting Depth: 2"
- Plant Spacing: 3-6"
- Row Spacing: 30-36"
- Growth Habit: Mound/Bush
- Soil Preference: Average with a temperature of 65 degrees, ph level 6 to 7
- Temp Preference: Warmer
- Light Preference: Full sun is required.
- Pests/diseases: Beetles, aphids. Root rot is a common disease, but can be avoided with well-draining soil
- Color: Green, beans are light green
- Flavor: Buttery texture with a delicate flavor
-
Seeds Per Package:
- 1 lb - Approximately 1,600 Seeds
- 5 lb - Approximately 8,000 Seeds
- 25 lb - Approximately 40,000 Seeds
Lima beans can be sown indoors, two to three weeks before the last average frost, and transplanted outside after five to seven weeks. Alternatively, they can be sown directly outside three to four weeks after the last average frost, ideally in soil with a temperature of sixty five degrees. The seeds should be sown one and a half to two inches deep, with three to six inches between plants and thirty to thirty six inches between rows. Pods can be harvested when they are plump and firm.
Produces plump pods filled with 3 to 4 small, white seeds even into the heat of summer. Good for canning or freezing. The lima bean is a warm season vegetable that performs poorly in cool, wet weather.Lima beans should be planted a week or two later than other garden beans. They also benefit from watering during a dry spell, but they cannot tolerate waterlogged soil. Pick lima beans when pods are plump and firm. Continue to pick pods as soon as they become plump to extend flowering and the production of new pods. Select dry long healthy lima bean pods that rattle. Remove seeds when pods have dried completely. Store lima beans in a cool, dry area. This food is very low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Protein, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C and Manganese.