When to plant bush (snap) bean in Christchurch
Bush (snap) bean is frost-tender, so every date keys off Christchurch's last spring frost of Oct 10.
Step 1 · Sow
Direct sow outdoors
Oct 17 – Nov 7
Sow straight into warm, workable soil.
Step 2 · Harvest
Harvest window
Dec 6 – Dec 16
Picking runs until conditions turn against the crop.
Window
Days to maturity
50 – 60 d
Christchurch's 192-day season leaves this much room.
Bush (snap) bean on Christchurch's growing year
Frost-bounded season with crops mapped onto the 12-month axis.
Frost risk Growing Harvest
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
FROST
OCT 10
APR 20
Common questions
When can I sow bush (snap) bean outdoors in Christchurch?
Direct-sow around mid October (Oct 17–Nov 7) in Christchurch, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 80%.
When will bush (snap) bean be ready to harvest in Christchurch?
Expect to harvest from around early December (Dec 6–Dec 16) in Christchurch, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 72%.
How long is the growing season in Christchurch?
Christchurch has roughly 192 frost-free days, which is enough time to grow bush (snap) bean to maturity outdoors.
The rule of thumb
Sow bush (snap) bean 6–8 weeks before your last spring frost; plant out 2–3 weeks after it. Every date on this page is derived from that rule and Christchurch's frost dates.
Confidence 80/100 · NOAA GHCN-Daily · 1991–2020 normals · frost dates are probabilities, not guarantees.