When to Plant Snake Beans in Brisbane, Subtropical Guide
That soil figure is read off our own weather station in South East Queensland at 6:55 this morning, not a model.
What this month normally looks like in Subtropical
In October the Subtropical zone normally runs 27°C by day and 15°C overnight, with about 77 mm of rain over 7 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -0.2°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 33 postcodes, SILO.
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This Snake Beans guide is written for the Subtropical zone, which takes in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Sydney Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Apr, Aug 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 Subtropical
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar -
- Apr D
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug D
- 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 Subtropical 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.
Subtropical Growing Tips for Snake Beans
Recommended Varieties
- Yard Long
- Black Seeded
Key Challenges
- Bean fly and rust in December and January
- Aphids and thrips
- Powdery mildew
Pro Tips
- Avoid sowing in midsummer
- Water regularly
- Harvest often
Pests and problems for Snake Beans in Subtropical
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 Brisbane?
No. In the Subtropical zone the planting months are Apr, Aug to Nov. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Snake Beans in Brisbane?
Diggers lists April and August to November. Succeed Heirlooms says any time of year in frost free subtropical areas, but Green Harvest warns that beans in general suffer from bean fly and rust in December and January. Snake beans are said to resist both, but we have kept to the Diggers months. Sow straight into the garden.
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 Brisbane?
Recommended varieties for the Subtropical 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 Subtropical zone, Brisbane is its reference city.