Growing in Melbourne

Best time to plant yardlong bean in Melbourne

Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis

Also called snake bean, asparagus bean, Chinese long bean, long bean

Sow yardlong bean in Melbourne in Oct to Jan.

A vigorous climbing form of cowpea, this bean is grown for very long, slim green pods of 35 to 75 cm, used much like green beans. The name oversells them, as they rarely reach a full yard. It suits warm climates and is widely grown across South and Southeast Asia.

When to sow in Melbourne

Melbourne, VIC is in the cool zone. Its months for yardlong bean apply here without a frost adjustment.

Not yet checked against a local guide.

Your local conditions can shift any months shown here, so treat them as a guide.

Frost in Melbourne

Frost usually arrives in Melbourne around mid June and finishes by late August. In about 1 year in 10 it comes as early as late May or as late as late September, so frost-tender crops are planned around those dates.

From the average of its 2 Bureau of Meteorology stations, 1991 to 2020, counting a night at 2°C or lower as a frost. Frost hollows and hillsides can shift these dates by weeks, so ask the growers at your garden too.

On a shared plot: suits a plot

Finishes in a season and stays within its space, so it suits most plots.

Growing details

How to start
Sow directly in the bed
Sowing depth
15mm
Plant spacing
45cm
Row spacing
60cm
Height
270cm
Germination
10-21 days at 20-30°C
Time to harvest
70 days
Frost
Frost tender
Sun
Full sun
Life cycle
annual

These are typical figures, and varieties differ. Your seed packet takes priority.

Yardlong Bean elsewhere

Yardlong Bean across Australia