When to plant bush (snap) bean in Chicago
Bush (snap) bean is frost-tender, so every date keys off Chicago's last spring frost of Apr 10.
Step 1 · Sow
Direct sow outdoors
May 18 – Jun 8
Sow straight into warm, workable soil.
Step 2 · Harvest
Harvest window
Jul 7 – Jul 17
Picking runs until conditions turn against the crop.
Window
Days to maturity
50 – 60 d
Chicago's 206-day season leaves this much room.
Bush (snap) bean on Chicago'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
FROST
APR 10
OCT 31
Common questions
When can I sow bush (snap) bean outdoors in Chicago?
Direct-sow around mid May (May 18–Jun 8) in Chicago, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 81%.
When will bush (snap) bean be ready to harvest in Chicago?
Expect to harvest from around early July (Jul 7–Jul 17) in Chicago, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 76%.
How long is the growing season in Chicago?
Chicago has roughly 206 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 Chicago's frost dates.
Confidence 84/100 · Curated · based on NOAA GHCN-Daily 1991–2020 normal · frost dates are probabilities, not guarantees.