edenhana

Climbing Beans

Given a tall trellis, produces a much heavier and longer harvest per plant than dwarf beans in the same space.

Sun
full sun
Water
moderate
Spacing
15cm
Harvest
Ready in 65-100 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
Heavier and longer-cropping than dwarf beans given a trellis
Cost to grow
~$6 NZD
Grocery value
~$40 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: 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, with a tall trellis in place from the start to support climbing growth
    • Cold or wet soil at sowing can cause seed to rot before it germinates

  2. Seedling & establishment

    • Train young vines onto the trellis as they start climbing
    • Black aphid can target soft new growth

  3. Vegetative growth

    • Whitefly can build up on leaf undersides on the maturing vine
    • Rust may appear later in the season as orange pustules on foliage

  4. Flowering & podding

    • Given a full trellis, flowering and podding continues over a longer period than for dwarf beans
    • Keep checking for black aphid, whitefly and rust through this stage

  5. Harvest65-100 days from sowing

    • The trellised habit gives a heavier, longer harvest per plant than dwarf beans in the same space
    • Pick regularly once pods size up, since black aphid and whitefly can still affect late-season growth

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