When to Plant Snake Beans in Alice Springs, Arid / Semi-Arid Guide
Soil temperature is modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Alice Springs), not a live sensor.
What this month normally looks like in Arid / Semi-Arid
In October the Arid / Semi-Arid zone normally runs 32°C by day and 16°C overnight, with about 19 mm of rain over 2 or 3 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was 1.9°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 10 postcodes, SILO.
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This Snake Beans guide is written for the Arid / Semi-Arid zone, which takes in Alice Springs, Broken Hill and Port Augusta. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Canberra Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Mar to May, Sep to Nov
- Days to harvest
- about 12 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Regular
- Spacing
- 30 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 5.5–7.5
Snake beans, also called yard long beans, are a heat loving climbing bean with slim pods 30 to 60 cm long.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Arid / Semi-Arid
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar D
- Apr D
- May D
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep D
- Oct D
- Nov D
- Dec -
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
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How to Grow Snake Beans in Arid / Semi-Arid Australia
- Soil
- Full sun and soil enriched with organic matter (Diggers). Well drained, because waterlogged soil causes crown and root rot (Seeds of Plenty).
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 5.5-7.5
- Sunlight
- Full sun (Diggers).
- Spacing
- 30cm apart
- Watering
- Water regularly, especially in flowering and pod development. Keep the soil moist but not soggy, and water more in hot or windy weather (Seeds of Plenty). Southern areas need extra watering (Diggers).
- Good companions
- Nasturtium, Cucumber, Carrot, Sweet Corn, Rosemary
- Keep away from
- Fennel, Garlic, Onion
- Grow before it
- Roots and alliums (Carrot, Beetroot, Onion)
- Grow after it
- Leafy greens and brassicas (Lettuce, Silverbeet, Broccoli)
Give the bed 3 turns before legumes go back in. Beans and peas fix nitrogen, so they leave the bed richer than they found it.
Arid / Semi-Arid Growing Tips for Snake Beans
Recommended Varieties
- Yard Long
- Black Seeded
Key Challenges
- Heat and dry wind
- Keeping the water steady
Pro Tips
- Mulch well
- Water more in hot or windy weather
- Give afternoon shade to young plants if needed
Pests and problems for Snake Beans in Arid / Semi-Arid
Harvesting Snake Beans
When ready: Pick when the pod begins to firm and the beans inside show through, about 2 weeks after flowering (Diggers).
How to harvest: Pick daily once cropping starts. Regular picking encourages more flowers (Diggers, Seeds of Plenty).
What members get
- Soil and weather from your nearest station
- An email when it's time to sow
- Your own garden plan, including planning from a photo
- Price history and price alerts
- Pest risk alerts for your area
- Full salt and canning detail
Common Questions About Snake Beans
When do you plant snake beans in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Mar to Aug
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Apr, Aug to Nov
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jan to Feb, Sep to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jan, Oct to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): not recommended
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Mar to May, Sep to Nov
- Mediterranean (Perth): Sep to Dec
Can you grow snake beans all year round in Alice Springs?
No. In the Arid / Semi-Arid zone the planting months are Mar to May, Sep to Nov. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Snake Beans in Alice Springs?
Diggers lists March to May and September to November for hot climates. We have taken Diggers hot to mean arid areas, which the page does not say outright. Water often and mulch, because Diggers says southern areas need extra watering and Seeds of Plenty says to water more in hot or windy weather.
What soil temperature do Snake Beans need?
Snake Beans germinate best when soil temperature is between 16°C and 29°C.
How do I know when Snake Beans are ready to harvest?
Pick when the pod begins to firm and the beans inside show through, about 2 weeks after flowering (Diggers).
What are the best Snake Beans varieties for Alice Springs?
Recommended varieties for the Arid / Semi-Arid zone include: Yard Long, Black Seeded.
What grows well with Snake Beans?
Good companion plants for Snake Beans include: Nasturtium, Cucumber, Carrot, Sweet Corn, Rosemary.
Are snake beans salt tolerant?
Only a little. Snake beans are moderately sensitive to salt, so the harvest drops on salty bore water. Mix salty water with rainwater, and mulch the bed.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box near the top of the page and it tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Arid / Semi-Arid zone, Alice Springs is its reference city.