FREEZE vs. FROST
For each Weather Monitoring Station, a FREEZE DAY is any day in the year that the temperature reaches 32°F or below. A FROST DAY is any day in the year that the temperature reaches 36°F or below.

So why worry about FROST DAYS more so than FREEZE DAYS? Well, a Freeze is what will kill many plants. But, Weather Monitoring Stations are typically mounted four to six feet above the ground. During clear, calm, and cold nights the temperature at ground level, where your garden is, can become much colder and even freeze. So we’re just trying to play it a little safer by focusing on FROST days.

SPRING
In the spring, as temperatures start to warm, the LAST day of the year that a FREEZE DAY occurs is considered the LAST FREEZE DATE for that year. As the temperatures continue to warm, although no more FREEZE DAYS may occur, the LAST day of the year that a FROST DAY occurs is considered the LAST FROST DATE for that year. Usually about a week or two after the LAST FREEZE DATE.

The LAST FROST DATE for your area is the day of the year, based on these 30 year averages, that there is only a 10% chance that there will be a FROST on that day. So, at least statistically, you should be safe to plant ON or AFTER this date.

FALL
In the fall, as temperatures start to cool, the FIRST day of the year that a FROST DAY occurs is considered the FIRST FROST DATE for that year. As the temperatures continue to cool, usually about a week or two later, the FIRST FREEZE DAY of the year will occur.

The FIRST FROST DATE for your area is the day of the year, based on these 30 year averages, that there is a 90% chance that there will be a FROST on that date. So again, at least statistically, you will want to have completed your harvest ON or BEFORE this day.

REMEMBER
Remember, although statistically accurate, you are really just playing the odds with these dates. It’s kind of like going to Las Vegas, but instead of gambling with your money, you put your tomato plants up on the blackjack table. (Editors Note: For your own safety, DO NOT attempt this in any gaming establishment.) Before planting you should ALWAYS check your local weather to see if a frost or freeze is in the forecast.

NEW AND IMPROVED
The National Climatic Data Center has recently released an entirely new data set, this one collected between 1981 and 2010. With this data, we’ve created a new and improved way for finding the FREEZE and FROST DATES for your specific area.

Enter your 5-DIGIT ZIP CODE in the calculator, then click on the FIND IT button. The FREEZE and FROST DATES for your area will then be displayed in the RESULTS section. If you want to look up another location, Click the RESET button, and start over.

I hope you find this information helpful, and I wish you Happy (freeze damage free) Planting.

Data Source: National Climatic Data Center

The post Last Frost Date: What it Means to Your Garden first appeared on The How Do Gardener.

Soil Preparation
Carrots grow best in sun to partial shade in rich, loose, sandy loam soil that is well drained and fertile. Before planting carrots, remove all rocks, trash and weeds from the planting area and till the soil to a depth of 8 to 12 inches.

Planting
Carrots are hardy cool-season biennials that are frost tolerant and can be planted as soon as the soil can be worked in the spring. They grow best when nighttime temperatures are around 55 degrees F and daytime temperatures are around 75 degrees F. Temperatures much higher than this will produce discolored, poor quality carrots.

Plant carrots to a depth of ½ inch with the seeds spaced at the rate of 3 to 4 seeds per inch. Seeds will take two weeks or more to germinate.

(See Chart Below for Recommended Varieties)

Fertilizing
Carrots prefer a soil pH between 5.8 and 7.5. Before planting, apply a 10-10-10 fertilizer, at the rate of 1 cup per 10 feet of row, in the planting area and then mix it into the top 3 to 4 inches of soil. After the seeds sprout, Fertilize your plants once a week with an application of a balanced fertilizer such as Miracle-Gro Vegetable Food.

Watering
Once planted, water the carrots regularly to keep the soil evenly moist to a depth of about 3 inches. Water early in the morning to allow plants to dry quickly and reduce the opportunity for disease infection. Drip irrigation is recommended to allow the water to get right to the carrot root.

Weed Control
Keep the garden free from weeds, as weeds will compete with the growing carrots for soil nutrients and water. Do not dig too deeply when using a hoe, and pull weeds carefully to avoid damaging the root.

Thinning
Carrots that grow too close to each other will be malformed and of poor quality. When the carrot seedlings reach a height of 2 inches, carefully thin the plants so that the remaining plants are 2 inches apart. When they reach a height of 4 inches, thin them again so that the remaining plants are 4 inches apart.

Insects
Cutworms are 3/4” curled caterpillars that, if present, can be found just under the soil line. They cut plants off at the soil line, chew 1/4’’ holes in pods or seeds, and occasionally chew leaves. Apply a Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) based insecticide to control them.

Wireworms are thin, about ½ to 1½ inches long, worms with a dark head and tail that feed on the carrot root. Apply a Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) based insecticide to control them.

Diseases
Diseases may be a problem during cool, wet weather. A variety of viruses attack carrots and each produces symptoms characteristic of the particular virus species such as leaves mottled with yellow spots, and knotted or forked roots. Treat with an approved fungicide. Neem oil, sulfur, and other fungicides can be used.

Exposure to the sun will turn carrots green at the top. Just cover the exposed area with soil or mulch.

Harvesting
Carrots will be ready to harvest in about 70 to 80 days, when the carrot is about 1 to 1½ inches in diameter. Carefully remove the carrot by reaching into the dirt around the outside of the carrot and gently pulling it out. Carrots planted in the summer may be left in the soil until the first killing frost.

Storing
Cut off the green tops off of the carrots 1 inch above the root and wash them. Store carrots in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator at 32 degrees F with high humidity where they will stay fresh for several weeks. Carrots may be buried in the sand in an underground root cellar, and under the right storage conditions will keep for four to six months.

Recommended Varieties
The following chart lists the recommended varieties, days to harvest, spring planting dates, and where applicable, the fall planting dates for carrots in each state. Wherever possible, the information in the chart is in accordance with the Cooperative Extension for each state.

The post Carrots: A Complete Planting Guide first appeared on The How Do Gardener.

One of my earliest childhood memories comes from a time when the milk, the bread, and, where I grew up, the potato chips, were delivered to your front doorstep. It was a time when the local grocery store only had fresh produce that was locally grown and was currently in season. Apples from China, or lettuce from Chile were about as common as carrots from the Moon. For me, that meant a long cold winter waiting and longing for the first fresh homegrown tomato of the season. Once that first tomato was ripe, we’d carefully pick it, wash it, and cut it into thick slices that were lovingly placed between two pieces of white bread with nothing more than just some mayonnaise, salt and pepper. It makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

No home vegetable garden is complete without a good crop of tomatoes. The tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) is a warm-season crop and one of the most popular, and easily grown, vegetables in the country. Once you’ve tasted a fresh picked tomato from your own garden, you’ll wonder what those bland, waxy, tasteless red orbs are that you’ve been getting from your grocery store produce section.

According to the USDA, tomatoes are low in Sodium, and very low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol. They are also a good source of Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Potassium and Manganese.

Tomatoes can be grown either from seed started indoors, or from transplants purchased at your local garden center. This is now prime tomato planting time here in Central Texas as our planting season runs from March 15 to April 10. There is usually a large selection of transplants available at reasonable prices this time of the year, and transplants are usually the easiest way to start your tomatoes. Select healthy plants that are 6 to 8 inches tall. Check to be sure that the transplants are not root bound. That is, that they don’t have a large amount of roots poking out of the bottom of the pot.

It’s really too late to start tomatoes from seed for this growing season, so wait until this coming fall or next spring to do so. To start your own tomato plants from seed, plant the seeds in a light, seed starter type, soil mixture at least 4 to 7 weeks before they are to be planted outdoors in your garden. One week before they are to be planted, harden-off the tomato plants by placing the potted plants in your garden to gradually expose them to increased amounts of sunlight.

Tomatoes come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, colors, and varieties and are classified as being either determinate or indeterminate. Determinate varieties stop growing once the plant sets fruit and the entire crop is produced all at one time. Indeterminate varieties continue to grow and set fruit as long as the temperature permits.

Tomatoes do best in well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter and with a pH in the range of 6.2 to 6.8. They require at least 6 hours of sunlight per day. Although tomatoes love warm weather, once daytime temperatures rise above 95 degrees, nighttime temperatures stay above 85 degrees or fall below 55 degrees, tomato flowers will no longer set fruit. If you tried to grow tomatoes last year, you’ll remember that it turned real hot, real early on in the year. That’s why you were lucky if you were able to get any tomatoes at all from your plants. It turned hot so early in the growing season that the plants were not able to set fruit.

The Texas AgriLife Extension Service in Williamson County recommends the following tomato varieties for our area. Listed next to each variety is the average number of days to harvest after planting for that variety.

Standard
Big Beef – 73
Black Krim – 80
Celebrity – 70
Early Girl – 57
First Lady – 66
Sunmaster – 74
Yellow Stuffer – 76

Cherry
Juliet – 62
Sugary – 60
Sweet Baby Girl – 65
Sweet Olive – 57
Sweet 100 – 60
Yellow Pear – 78

Paste
Roma – 78
Viva Italia – 72

An excellent way to encourage a vigorous root system on your tomato plants is to lay the plant on its side when planting. Dig a hole that is as deep as the transplant root ball is wide. Next dig a shallow trench just below the surface to bury the transplant’s stem in. Leave the top 3 to 4 inches of the plant sticking out of the ground and pile a little bit of dirt under this part to angle it slightly upward. Be sure to carefully trim off any leaves that are to be buried. Within a few days the plant will be completely vertical.

If left to their own devices, tomatoes will grow only so tall before they fall over and grow along the ground. This encourages disease, poor fruit production, and is not an efficient use of space. Use stakes or cages to help support your tomatoes and keep them growing upright. Place the stake or cage in the ground shortly after planting to minimize possible root damage. If using stakes, they should be about 6 feet tall and the tomato plant should be loosely tied to the stake at 10-inch intervals to support the plant.

Tomatoes need about 1 to 2 inches of water per week. A good way to help keep them from drying out and wilting is to put a 2-inch layer of mulch around each plant. If you don’t have adequate rainfall, water them once or twice a week. Consider drip irrigation as it conserves moisture and avoids getting the plant’s foliage wet, which can cause diseases. Fertilize your plants once every week or two with an application of a balanced fertilizer.

Tomatoes are relatively hardy but are affected by several insects and diseases. Hornworms are 3-inch long curled caterpillars that cut plants off at the soil line, chew 1/4’’ holes in pods or seeds, and occasionally chew leaves. Apply a Bacillus thuringiensis based insecticide to control them. Whiteflies are small, whitish insects that may be found in masses on the underside of leaves. Hose off the underside of leaves to knock off aphids or apply an insecticidal soap. Neem oil, sulfur, and other fungicides can be used to help prevent blossom-end rot. Deer or bird net is always a good idea, once the plants have set fruit, to keep our furry and feathered friends from enjoying our tomatoes before we do.

Harvest tomatoes when they are fully ripe. If you harvest them while they are still green, they can be allowed to ripen over time in the house. Keep unripe tomatoes in a well-ventilated area at room temperature until they are ripe. While fully ripe tomatoes can be kept fresh in the refrigerator for several weeks, never store green tomatoes in the refrigerator.

I don’t think I can really do too much to bring back the good old days of milk and bread being delivered to your front door. But, by following these tips, you should be able to enjoy that first fresh tomato from your garden in about 60 to 80 days from now. So, get out there, get a hold of some tomato transplants, and plant them now. Enjoy your gardening and enjoy your harvest.

The post Tomato Time Planting Tips first appeared on The How Do Gardener.

Snap beans can be tall-growing pole-type beans, half-runners or the low-growing bush-type varieties. They are a warm-season crop and rapid growers that can produce large yields while requiring little attention.

Soil Preparation
Beans grow best in full sun and well-drained, fertile, and friable (crumbly) soil so seedling emergence is not inhibited. Before planting green beans, remove all weeds and trash from the planting area.

Planting
Beans should be planted in the spring after all danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed, but during excessively hot weather they may drop their blossoms and pods. In the fall, plant them 10 to 12 weeks before the first expected frost. Be sure to check our “Plant Hardiness Zones” tool, under our “Tool Shed” menu, to find your specific plant hardiness zone. To help prevent disease, alternate the location in your garden of bean plantings with a different vegetable crop each year.

(See Chart Below for Recommended Varieties)

Plant beans to a depth of 1 to 1 ½ inches with the seeds spaced 2 to 4 inches apart.

Green bean seeds may crack or germinate poorly if exposed to very moist conditions, so do not soak the seeds before planting or water too heavily immediately after planting.

Fertilizing
Beans prefer a soil pH between 6.0 and 6.5. Green beans are a low user of nutrients and do not require high amounts of fertilizer. Apply a 10-20-10 fertilizer lightly on the planting area and then mix it in with the top 3 to 4 inches of soil before planting.

Fertilize your plants once a week with an application of a balanced fertilizer such as Miracle-Gro Plant Food.

Watering
Once planted, keep the soil evenly moist. This is especially important from flower bud formation to pod set. Too much or too little water causes blossom and pod drop. Provide bean plants with about 1 inch of water per week. Extremes in soil moisture can also lead to malformed pods in which only the first few seeds develop, leaving the rest of the bean pod shriveled. Water early in the morning to allow plants to dry quickly and reduce the opportunity for disease infection. Drip irrigation is recommended to help keep the foliage dry.

Weed Control
Because beans are shallowly rooted, do not dig too deep when using a hoe, or pulling weeds. To avoid spreading diseases, do not weed when the foliage is wet. Applying mulch will prevent many weeds as well as help retain soil moisture. Use organic mulches such as weathered straw, untreated lawn clippings, or shredded bark. Apply mulch 2 to 3 inches deep after soil has warmed. Black plastic provides excellent weed control as well as warming the soil, which may allow earlier planting. Lay the plastic over the planting area and cut slits for planting seed.

Insects
Cutworms are 3/4” curled caterpillars that, if present, can be found just under soil line. They cut plants off at soil line, chew 1/4’’ holes in pods or seeds, and occasionally chew leaves. Apply a Bacillus thuringiensis based insecticide to control them.

Aphids are small, whitish insects that may be found in masses on the underside of leaves. If present, leaves become yellow, sticky with honeydew. Hose off underside of leaves to knock off aphids.

Mites may appear as tiny ‘’dust specks” moving on the underside of leaves. If present, leaves may appear bronzed or yellowed with leaves and stems heavily webbed. Hose off underside of leaves to knock off mites.

Diseases
Diseases may be a problem during cool, wet weather. A variety of viruses attack beans and each produces symptoms characteristic of the particular virus species such as leaves mottled with yellow and green patchwork, leaves distorted or stunted, plants stunted. Treat with an approved fungicide. Neem oil, sulfur, and other fungicides can be used.

To control bean diseases, do not handle or work among bean plants when the foliage is wet from dew or rain

Harvesting
Green beans are ready to pick when the pods begin to fill with seed, but before they begin to bulge. They should be about the size of a small pencil. Over-mature beans are tough and stringy. Pick them carefully to avoid damaging the plant. Plants will continue to produce new beans over the course of several weeks.

Storing
Fresh beans can be stored in the refrigerator, in sealed plastic bags or other containers. They usually can be stored in the refrigerator for a week.

Recommended Varieties
The following chart lists the recommended varieties, days to harvest, spring planting dates, and where applicable, fall planting dates for green beans in each state. Wherever possible, the information in the chart is in accordance with each state’s Cooperative Extension guidelines.

State	Variety - Days to Harvest	Spring Planting Dates	Fall Planting Dates
Alabama (AL)	[ Bush Beans ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Contender • Green Crop • Derby	Apr. 1 - 30	Aug. 5 - 20
	[ Pole Beans ] Days to Harvest: 60-75 • Dade • Kentucky Wonder • Kentucky Blue	Apr. 10 - 30	July 20 - Aug. 5
Alaska (AK)	[ Bush Beans ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Contender • Provider • Strike • Top Crop • Royal Burgundy • Roma	June
Arizona (AZ)	[ Bush Beans ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Bush Kentucky Wonder • Contender • Provider • Tendercrop	- Elevation - [ 10 to 1000 feet ] • Feb.1 - Mar. 1 [ 1000 to 2000 feet ] • Feb. 15 - Mar. 15 [ 2000 to 3000 feet ] • Mar. 1 - Apr. 1 [ 3000 to 4500 feet ] • Apr. 25 - July 15 [ 4500 to 6000 feet ] • May 15-July 1 [ Above 6000 feet ] • May 25-June 15	- Elevation - [ 10 to 1000 feet ] • August 1 - September 1 [ 1000 to 2000 feet ] • July 25 - Aug. 15 [ 2000 to 3000 feet ] • July 15 - Aug. 15
	[ Pole Beans ] Days to Harvest: 60-75 • Blue Lake • Kentucky Wonder • Kentucky Blue	- Elevation - [ 3000 to 4500 feet ] • Apr. 25-July 15 [ 4500 to 6000 feet ] • May 15-July 1 [ Above 6000 feet ] • May 25-June 15	- Elevation - [ 10 to 1000 feet ] • Aug. 1 - Sept. 1 [ 1000 to 2000 feet ] • July 15 - Aug. 15 [ 2000 to 3000 feet ] • July 15 - Aug. 10
Arkansas (AR)	[ Bush Beans ] • Provider - 52 • Bush Blue Lake - 55 • Contender - 48 • Roma II - 56 • Topcrop - 48	[ Northern Arkansas ] • May 1 - 15 [ Southern Arkansas ] • Apr. 15 - 30
	[ Pole Beans ] • Kentucky Wonder - 65 • Kentucky Blue - 58	[ Northern Arkansas ] • May 1 - 15 [ Southern Arkansas ] • Apr. 15 - 30
California (CA)	[ Bush Beans - Green ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Magnum • Greencrop • Calgreen • Benchmark • Strike • Landmark	[ South Coast ] • Feb. - Aug. [ Central Valley ] • April - May	[ Central Valley ] • August [ Southern Desert ] • August - September
	[ Bush Beans - Wax ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Slenderwax • Goldrush	[ South Coast ] • Feb. - Aug. [ Central Valley ] • April - May	[ Central Valley ] • August [ Southern Desert ] • August - September
	[ Pole Beans ] Days to Harvest: 60-75 • Kentucky Wonder • Blue Lake	[ South Coast ] • Feb. - Aug. [ Central Valley ] • April - May	[ Central Valley ] • August [ Southern Desert ] • August - September
Colorado (CO)	[ Bush Beans ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Bush Blue Lake • Tendergreen	[ Northern ] • June [ Southern ] • April - May
	[ Pole Beans ] Days to Harvest: 60-75 • Kentucky Wonder • Kentucky Blue	[ Northern ] • June [ Southern ] • April - May
Connecticut (CT)	[ Bush Beans - Green ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Bush Blue Lake • Greensleeves • Provider • Tenderpod • Greencrop • Roma • Derby	May 15 - 31
	[ Bush Beans - Yellow ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Slenderwax • Goldcrop • Golden Butter Wax • Gold Rush	May 15 - 31
	[ Pole Beans ] Days to Harvest: 60-75 • Romano • Blue Lake • Rust Resistant • Kentucky Wonder • French Horticultural	May 15 - 31
Delaware (DE)	[ Bush Beans - Green ] Days to Harvest: 50-70 • Advantage • Caprice • Foremost • Hickok • Inspiration • Prevail • Provider • Roma II • Valentino	Apr. 10 - Aug. 10
	[ Bush Beans - Wax ] Days to Harvest: 70-85 • Eureka • Goldrush • Uranus	Apr. 10 - Aug. 10
Florida (FL)	[ Bush Beans ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Bush Blue Lake • Contender • Roma II • Provider • Cherokee Wax	[ North Florida ] • March - Apr. [ Central Florida ] • Feb. - Apr.	[ North Florida ] • Aug. - Sept. [ Central Florida ] • Sept. [ South Florida ] • Sept. - Apr.
	[ Pole Beans ] Days to Harvest:55-70 • McCaslan • Kentucky Wonder • Blue Lake	[ North Florida ] • March - Apr. [ Central Florida ] • Feb. - Apr.	[ North Florida ] • Aug. - Sept [ Central Florida ] • Aug. - Sept [ South Florida ] • Aug. - Apr.
Georgia (GA)	[ Bush Beans ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Bronco • Blue Lake 274 • Roma • Blue Lake • Dade • Kentucky Wonder	Mar. 15 – May 1	July 5 – Aug. 10
	[ Beans - Half-runner ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • State • White • Volunteer • Kentucky Runner	Mar. 15 – May 1	July 5 – Aug. 10
	[ Pole Beans ] Days to Harvest: 65-75 • Blue Lake • Dade • Kentucky Blue • Moccasin	Mar. 15 – May 10	July 1 – Aug. 1
Hawaii (HI)	[ Bush Beans ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Bush Blue Lake • Greencrop • Magnum	Mar. 1 - 15
	[ Pole Beans ] Days to Harvest: 65-75 • Hawaiian Wonder • Poamoho • Manoa Wonder • Kentucky Wonder • Blue Lake	Mar. 1 - 15
Idaho (ID)	[ Bush Beans ] • Blue Lake Bush - 58 • Provider - 50 • Slenderette - 53 • Tendergreen Improved - 57 • Pencil Pod - 58	May 10 - 24
Illinois (IL)	[ Bush Beans - Green ] • Blue Lake 274 - 58 • Contender - 53 • Derby - 57 • Provider - 52 • Tendercrop - 54 • Tendergreen - 57 • Topcrop - 51	Apr. 25 - July 15
	[ Bush Beans - Yellow ] • Cherokee Wax - 52 • Gold Crop - 54 • Slender Wax - 56	Apr. 25 - July 15
Indiana (IN)	[ Bush Beans - Green ] Days to Harvest: 65-75 • Benchmark • Hialeah • Opus • Rushmore • Tema • Venture	May 15 - June 15
	[ Bush Beans - Yellow ] Days to Harvest: 65-75 • Eureka • Kinghorn Wax • Nugget	May 15 - June 15
Iowa (IA)	[ Bush Beans - Green ] Days to Harvest: 65-75 • Ambra • Benchmark • Bush Blue Lake 274 • Derby • Fastina • Provider • Strike • Tema • Tendercrop • Topcrop	May 5 - Aug. 1
	[ Bush Beans - Yellow ] Days to Harvest: 65-75 • Gold Crop • Gold Mine • Gold Rush • Goldenrod • Kinghorn Wax • Slenderwax • Sunburst	May 5 - Aug. 1
	[ Pole Beans ] Days to Harvest: 65-75 • Blue Lake • Kentucky Blue • Kentucky Wonder	May 5 - Aug. 1
Kansas (KS)	[ Bush Beans - Green ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Contender • Derby • Jade • Provider • Royal Burgundy • Strike • Tendercrop • Xera	May 2 - June 10
	[ Bush Beans - Wax ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Carson • Eureka • Goldmine	May 2 - June 10
	[ Pole Beans ] Days to Harvest: 65-75 • Kentucky Blue • Kentucky Wonder • Northeaster • Purple King	May 2 - June 10
Kentucky (KY)	[ Bush Beans - Green ] • Provider - 50 • Romano - 50 • State Half Runner - 52 • Tendercrop - 54 • Blue Lake Bush 274 - 58 • Romano II - 59 • Maxibel - 60 • Volunteer - 60	Apr. 15 - 29
	[ Bush Beans - Wax ] • Goldkist - 55	Apr. 15 - 29
	[ Pole Beans ] • Kentucky Blue - 60-65	Apr. 15 - 29
Louisiana (LA)	[ Bush Beans ] Days to Harvest: 48-55 • Provider • Contender • Blue Lake 274 • Royal Burgundy • Strike • Festina • Ambra • Magnum • Golden Rod Wax • Green Crop (flat) • Roma II • Bronco • Hialeah • Storm • Derby • Valentino • Caprice • Dusky Grenable • Lynx • Nash • Shade	Feb. 15 - May 15	Aug. 10 - Sept. 10
	[ Pole Beans ] Days to Harvest: 60-66 • Kentucky Blue • McCaslin • Blue Lake • Volunteer • State • La Purple • Kentucky Wonder 191 • Rattlesnake Yardlong	Feb. 15 - May 15	Aug. 10 - Aug. 31
Maine (ME)	[ Bush Beans - Green ] Days to Harvest: 60-70 • Provider • Jade • Concessa	May 2 - 16
	[ Bush Beans - Wax ] Days to Harvest: 60-70 • Indy Gold • Rodcor	May 2 - 16
	[ Pole Beans ] Days to Harvest: 60-75 • Blue Lake strains • Fortex • Kentucky Blue • Scarlet Runner	May 2 - 16
Maryland (MD)	[ Bush Beans ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Black Valentine • Bush Blue Lake • Contender • Dragon Tongue • Derby • Greensleeves • Jade • Provider • Roma II • Romano • Royal Burgundy • Spectacular • Tenderpod • Tenderette • Topcrop	May 5 - June 30	July 1 - Aug. 5
	[ Bush Beans - Wax ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Cherokee Wax • Goldcrop • Goldfinger • Goldrush • Major • Nugget • Rocdor • Yellow Wax	May 5 - June 30	July 1 - Aug. 5
	[ Pole Beans ] Days to Harvest: 60-75 • Kentucky Blue • Kentucky Wonder • Pole Romano • Rattlesnake • Trionfo Violetto	May 5 - June 30	July 1 - Aug. 5
Massachusetts (MA)	[ Bush Beans - Green ] Days to Harvest: 60-70 • Kentucky Wonder 125 • Contender • Sonata • Ambra • Bronco • Pony Express • Concesa • Derby • Dusky • Jade • Provider • Tema • Boone • Greencrop • Romano 942	May 15 - July 15
	[ Bush Beans - Yellow ] Days to Harvest: 60-70 • Kentucky Wonder • Yellow Wax • Romano Gold	May 15 - July 15
	[ Pole Beans ] Days to Harvest: 60-75 • Kentucky Blue • White Half Runner • Fortex	May 15 - July 15
Michigan (MI)	[ Bush Beans - Green ] Days to Harvest:45-60 • Provider • Greencrop • Jade • Strike • Derby • Bush Blue Lake 274	May 30 - June 30
	[ Bush Beans - Yellow ] Days to Harvest:45-60 • Goldcrop • Goldkist	May 30 - June 30
	[ Pole Beans ] Days to Harvest: 60-70 • Blue Lake • Kentucky Wonder	May 30 - June 30
Minnesota (MN)	[ Bush Beans - Green ] • Provider - 50 • Greencrop - 53 • Jade - 53 • Strike - 54 • Derby - 55 • Bush Blue Lake 274 - 56	May 15 - July 1
	[ Pole Beans ] • Blue Lake - 63 • Kentucky Wonder - 65	May 15 - July 1
	[ Bush Beans - Yellow ] • Goldcrop - 55 • Goldkist - 58	May 15 - July 1
	[ Bush Beans - Purple ] • Royal Burgundy - 51 • Purple Queen - 55	May 15 - July 1
Mississippi (MS)	[ Bush Beans ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Atlantic • Blue Lake • Contender • Derby • Magnum - 51 • Gator Green • Greencrop • Provider • Topcrop	March - Apr.	Aug.
	[ Pole Beans ] Days to Harvest: 65-70 • Alabama No. 1 • Blue Lake • Cornfield • Dade • Kentucky Blue • Kentucky Wonder • Kentucky Wonder 191 • Louisiana Purple • McCaslan	March - Apr.	Aug.
Missouri (MO)	[ Bush Beans ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Contender • Derby • Hialeah • Provider • Royal Burgundy • Strike • Tendercrop • Topcrop	[ North Missouri ] • Apr. 25 - May 30 [ Central Missouri ] • Apr. 15 - May 20 [ South Missouri ] • Apr. 5 - May 10	[ North Missouri ] • July 25 - Aug. 5 [ Central Missouri ] • July 25 - Aug. 10 [ South Missouri ] • Aug. 1 - 20
	[ Pole Beans ] Days to Harvest: 60-70 • Blue Lake • Kentucky Wonder	[ North Missouri ] • May 10 - 20 [ Central Missouri ] • May 1 - 20 [ South Missouri ] • Apr. 20 - May 15
	[ Beans - Half-runner ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Mountaineer • State • Striped	[ North Missouri ] • Apr. 25 - May 30 [ Central Missouri ] • Apr. 15 - May 20 [ South Missouri ] • Apr. 15 - May 10	[ North Missouri ] • July 25 - Aug. 5 [ Central Missouri ] • July 25 - Aug. 10 [ South Missouri ] • Aug. 1 - 20
	[ Bush Beans - Wax ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Gold Crop • Slenderwax • Gold Mine • Gold Rush • Eureka	[ North Missouri ] • Apr. 25 - May 30 [ Central Missouri ] • Apr. 15 - May 20 [ South Missouri ] • Apr. 5 - May 10	[ North Missouri ] • July 25 - Aug. 5 [ Central Missouri ] • July 25 - Aug. 10 [ South Missouri ] • Aug. 1 - 20
Montana (MT)	[ Bush Beans - Green] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Provider • Greencrop • Jade • Strike • Derby • Bush Blue Lake 274	May 17 - 31
	[ Pole Beans ] Days to Harvest: 65-70 • Blue Lake • Kentucky Wonder	May 17 - 31
Nebraska (NE)	[ Bush Beans - Green ] • Derby - 57 • Jade - 60 • Jumbo - 55 • Provider - 50 • Roma II - 59 • Straight 'N Narrow -53	Apr. 25 - May 9
	[ Bush Beans - Wax ] • Goldito - 52-54 • Indy Gold - 52-56 • Isar - 52 • Slender Wax - 56	Apr. 25 - May 9
Nevada (NV)	[ Bush Beans - Green] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Blue Lake • Kentucky Wonder	May 15 - June 30
New Hampshire (NH)	[ Bush Beans - Green] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Blue Lake • Fortex • Kentucky Wonder • Kentucky Blue	May 20 - June 3
New Jersey (NJ)	[ Bush Beans - Green ] Days to Harvest: 50-70 • Bronco • Charon • Hialeah • Roma II	Apr. 10 - Aug. 10
	[ Bush Beans - Wax ] Days to Harvest: 70-85 • Eureka • Golden Rod • Goldrush	Apr. 10 - Aug. 10
New Mexico (NM)	[ Bush Beans - Green ] • Blue Lake - 55 • Blue Lake 274 - 58 • Kentucky Wonder - 60 • Derby - 57 • Kentucky Blue - 58 • Kentucky Blue - 58 • Roma II - 58 • Tendercrop - 53 • Tendergreen Improved - 54 • Xera - 54	[ North New Mexico ] • May 22 - June 5 [ South New Mexico ] • May 1 - 15
	[ Bush Beans - Yellow ] • Buttercrisp - 57 • Golden Rod - 55 • Goldkist - 55 • Rocdor - 52	[ North New Mexico ] • May 22 - June 5 [ South New Mexico ] • May 1 - 15
New York (NY)	[ Bush Beans - Green ] Days to Harvest: 50-70 • Bush BlueLake • Charon • Derby • Jade • Provider • Roma II • Tendergreen Improved	May 15 - July 15
	[ Bush Beans - Wax ] Days to Harvest: 70-85 • Golden Butterwax • Golden Rod • Rocdor	May 15 - July 15
North Carolina (NC)	[ Bush Beans ] Days to Harvest: 50-55 • Tenderette • Harvester • Astro • Roma • Derby • Dandy	Apr. 15 – July 15
	[ Pole Beans ] Days to Harvest: 65-70 • Kentucky Wonder 191 • Blue Lake Stringless • Romano • Kentucky Blue	Apr. 15 – July 1
North Dakota (ND)	[ Bush Beans - Green] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Provider • Greencrop • Jade • Strike • Derby • Bush Blue Lake 274	May 10 - May 30
	[ Pole Beans ] Days to Harvest: 65-70 • Blue Lake • Kentucky Wonder	May 10 - May 30
Ohio (OH)	[ Bush Beans - Green ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Tendergreen • Tendercrop • Bush Blue Lake • Top Crop • Provider • Bush Romano • Derby • Espada	May - June
	[ Bush Beans - Wax ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Goldcrop • Sungold	May - June
	[ Bush Beans - Purple ] • Royal Burgundy - 51	May - June
	[ Pole Beans ] Days to Harvest: 65-70 • Kentucky Wonder • Kentucky Blue • Blue Lake • Romano	May - June
Oklahoma (OK)	[ Bush Beans - Green ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Bush Blue Lake 47 • Bush Blue Lake 274 • Contender • Derby • Jade • Provider • Podsquad • Roma • Roma II • Strike • Topcrop • Verandon	Apr. 10 - 30
	[ Bush Beans - Wax ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Goldrush • Resistant Cherokee Wax	Apr. 10 - 30
	[ Pole Beans ] Days to Harvest: 60-90 • Kentucky Blue • Kentucky Wonder • Meralda • Pinto	Apr. 10 - 30
Oregon (OR)	[ Bush Beans - Green ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Tendercrop • Venture • Slenderette • Oregon 91G • Oregon Trail • Provider • Jade • Oregon 54 • Roma II • Nickel • Grenoble	[ Oregon Coast ] • May - June [ Western Valleys ] • May - July [ High Elevations ] • April - June [ Columbia River Valley ] • April 15 - June
	[ Pole Beans ] Days to Harvest: 60-70 • Blue Lake • Kentucky Wonder • Romano • Cascade Giant • Kentucky Blue • Oregon Giant	[ Oregon Coast ] • May - June [ Western Valleys ] • May - July [ High Elevations ] • April - June [ Columbia River Valley ] • April 15 - June
	[ Bush Beans - Wax ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Goldenrod • Goldrush • Indy Gold • Slenderwax	[ Oregon Coast ] • May - June [ Western Valleys ] • May - July [ High Elevations ] • April - June [ Columbia River Valley ] • April 15 - June
Pennsylvania (PA)	[ Bush Beans - Green ] • Provider - 50 • Kentucky Wonder 125 - 55 • Blue Lake - 56 • Sequoia - 56 • Greencrop - 57 • Derby - 57 • Charon - 58 • Royal Burgundy - 58 • Maxibel - 59 • Roma II - 59 • Jade - 60	Apr. 6 - Aug. 1
Rhode Island (RI)	[ Bush Beans - Green ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Bush Blue Lake • Greensleeves • Provider • Tenderpod • Greencrop • Roma • Derby	May 15 - 31
	[ Bush Beans - Yellow ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Slenderwax • Goldcrop • Golden Butter Wax • Gold Rush	May 15 - 31
	[ Pole Beans ] Days to Harvest: 60-75 • Romano • Blue Lake • Rust Resistant • Kentucky Wonder • French Horticultural	May 15 - 31
South Carolina (SC)	[ Bush Beans ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Bush Blue Lake 274 • Derby • Provider • Resistant Cherokee Wax • Roma II • Tendercrop • Venture	[ Piedmont ] • Apr. 15 - 30 [ Central ] • Apr. 1 - 15 [ Coastal ] • Mar. 15 - 30	[ Piedmont ] • Aug. 1 - 15 [ Central ] • Aug. 5 - 20 [ Coastal ] • Aug. 15 - 30
	[ Pole Beans ] Days to Harvest: 60-70 • Blue Lake • Kentucky blue • Kentucky Wonder • Kentucky Wonder 191 • Kwintus (Early Riser)	[ Piedmont ] • Apr. 15 - 30 [ Central ] • Apr. 5 - 20 [ Coastal ] • Mar. 20 - 30	[ Piedmont ] • July 15 - 25 [ Central ] • July 20 - 30 [ Coastal ] • Aug. 1 - 10
	[ Beans - Half-runner ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Mountaineer White	[ Piedmont ] • Apr. 15 - 30 [ Central ] • Apr. 1 - 15 [ Coastal ] • Mar. 15 - 30	[ Piedmont ] • Aug. 1 - 15 [ Central ] • Aug. 5 - 20 [ Coastal ] • Aug. 15 - 30
South Dakota (SD)	[ Bush Beans - Green] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Provider • Greencrop • Jade • Strike • Derby • Bush Blue Lake 274	May 10 - 24
	[ Pole Beans ] Days to Harvest: 65-70 • Blue Lake • Kentucky Wonder	May 10 - 24
Tennessee (TN)	[ Bush Beans ] Days to Harvest: 52-60 • Blue Lake • Top Crop • Derby • Roma II	Apr. 10 - June 20
	[ Beans - Half-runner ] Days to Harvest: 52-60 • Provider • Tendergreen Improved	Apr. 10 - June 20
	[ Pole Beans ] Days to Harvest: 60-65 • Kentucky Wonder • Blue Lake • McCaslan	Apr. 10 - June 20
Texas (TX)	[ Bush Beans ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Contender • Derby • Goldito • Maxibel • Provider • Roma II • Topcrop • Greencrop • Tendercrop • Tendergreen • Topcrop	[ Plant Hardiness Zone 6 ] • Apr. 15 - May 15 [ Plant Hardiness Zone 7 ] • Apr. 1 - May 5 [ Plant Hardiness Zone 8 ] • Mar. 5 - May 1 [ Plant Hardiness Zone 9A ] • Feb. 10 - Apr. 15 [ Plant Hardiness Zone 9B ] • Feb. 1 - Mar. 15	[ Plant Hardiness Zone 6 ] • July 15 [ Plant Hardiness Zone 7 ] • Aug. 1 [ Plant Hardiness Zone 8 ] • Sept. 1 [ Plant Hardiness Zone 9A ] • Sep. 10 [ Plant Hardiness Zone 9B ] • Oct. 1
	[ Pole Beans ] Days to Harvest: 60-70 • Kentucky Wonder • Garden of Eden • McCaslan • Northeaster • Romano	[ Plant Hardiness Zone 6 ] • Apr. 15 - May 1 [ Plant Hardiness Zone 7 ] • Apr. 1 - May 1 [ Plant Hardiness Zone 8 ] • Mar. 5 - Apr. 15 [ Plant Hardiness Zone 9A ] • Feb. 10 - Mar. 15 [ Plant Hardiness Zone 9B ] • Feb. 1 - Mar. 15
Utah (UT)	[ Bush Beans - Green ] • Blue Lake - 58 • Derby - 57 • Jade - 53 • Slenderette - 53 • Strike - 45	Apr. 19 - May 3
	[ Bush Beans - Wax ] • Gold Crop - 54	Apr. 19 - May 3
Vermont (VT)	[ Bush Beans - Green] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Blue Lake • Fortex • Kentucky Wonder • Kentucky Blue	May 20 - June 3
Virginia (VA)	[ Bush Beans - Green ] Days to Harvest: 50-70 • Ambra • Bronco • Caprice • Carlo • Charon • Dusky • Hialeah • Hickok • Nash • Pike • Roma II • Shade • Valentino	Apr. 6 - 20
	[ Bush Beans - Wax ] Days to Harvest: 70-85 • Eureka • Rocdor	Apr. 6 - 20
Washington (WA)	[ Bush Beans ] Days to Harvest: 55-75 • Provider • Greencrop • Jade • Strike • Derby • Bush Blue Lake 274	May 15 - June 1
	[ Pole Beans ] Days to Harvest: 65–95 • Blue Lake • Kentucky Wonder	May 15 - June 1
West Virginia (WV)	[ Bush Beans - Green ] Days to Harvest: 50-70 • Boone • Bronco • Caprice • Charon • Crockett • Hialeah • Provider • Roma II • Strike • Tema	May 1-15
	[ Bush Beans - Wax ] Days to Harvest: 70-85 • Eureka • Goldrush	May 1-15
Wisconsin (WI)	[ Bush Beans - Green ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Romano • Blue Lake 274 • Contender • Derby • Improved Tender Green • Labrador • Provider • Sequoia • Tender Crop • Tender Pod • Top Crop • Royal Burgandy	May 1-15
	[ Pole Beans ] Days to Harvest: 60-65 • Blue Lake • Kentucky Blue • Kentucky Wonder • Scarlet Runner	May 1-15
	[ Bush Beans - Wax ] Days to Harvest: 50-60 • Blue Lake • Cherokee • Green Lake • Gold Crop • Gold Rush	May 1-15
Wyoming (WY)	[ Bush Beans ] • Bush Blue Lake 274 - 58 • Early Contender - 49 • Kentucky Wonder - 60 • Tenderpick - 54 • TopCrop - 51 • White Half Runner - 60	May 12 - July 1
	[ Pole Beans ] • Kentucky Blue - 65 • Kentucky Wonder - 67 • Neapolitan - 60 • Scarlet Runner - 65	May 12 - July 1

The post Green Beans first appeared on The How Do Gardener.