Lima
beans, also known as butter beans and chad beans, grow much the same
as green beans, they just tend to take longer to mature. The smaller
varieties are quicker, which is why you see "baby" lima
beans for sale more often than the larger beans; there's a quicker
turnover. Lima beans have been cultivated in their namesake Lima,
Peru for over 600 years.
Crop
rotation group
Legumes
(Pea and Bean family)
Soil
Average,
well drained soil.
Position
Full
sun
Frost
tolerant
Warm-season
annuals, cannot tolerate frost.
Feeding
Mix
an organic fertilizer into the soil before planting, using rates
given on the label.
Spacing
Sow
and plant
Plant
seeds 2 inches deep and 4 inches apart two weeks or more after the
last frost has passed. Grow pole varieties in warm climates, but
stick with faster-maturing bush varieties where summers are
short.
Our Garden Planner can produce a personalized calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area.
Our Garden Planner can produce a personalized calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area.
Harvesting
For
fresh eating, gather pods when they feel well-filled with seeds, and
are slightly leathery. Limas for dry storage can be left on the
plants until they change from green to tan.
Trouble
shooting
Slow
growth due to cool temperatures is common, but pest problems are
rare. Lima beans are easy to grow in warm climates.
