When to Plant Asparagus Pea (Winged Bean) in Cairns, Tropical Guide

Sow April to June. Right now in October it is out of season. The next sowing month is April.

Planting window
True asparagus pea is a small, cool-season Mediterranean legume, so only try it in the dry season. Pick the pods at 2 to 3 cm, because they...
Days to harvest
60 days
Sunlight
Full sun (minimum 6 hours)
Water needs
Water regularly in dry spells, more often once flowering starts. Avoid soggy soil.
Soil pH
5.5-7.0

Published · Last reviewed · By GardenBuddy.au
Growing advice is reviewed by hand. Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.

This Asparagus Pea (Winged Bean) guide is written for the Tropical zone, which takes in Cairns, Townsville and Darwin. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.

Not your zone? Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth

Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.

A small sprawling annual legume from the Mediterranean, 30-40 cm tall, with red flowers and four-winged pods. It likes mild weather and dislikes summer heat and hard frost. Yields are small, so treat it as an interesting extra rather than a main crop. It is not the tropical winged bean, which has its own page.

See what grows now in your own postcode

Planting Calendar for Tropical

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
- - - D D D - - - - - -

S = Seed Tray   T = Transplant   D = Direct Sow

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Current Growing Conditions

Soil temperature: 22.1°C (optimal range: 10–25°C) ✓ Ready to plant

Modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Cairns), not a live sensor.

What this month normally looks like

In October the Tropical zone normally runs 34°C by day and 23°C overnight, with about 53 mm of rain over 5 or 6 wet days. Averages 1991 to 2026, 37 postcodes, SILO.

How to Grow Asparagus Pea (Winged Bean) in Tropical Australia

When to Plant

True asparagus pea is a small, cool-season Mediterranean legume, so only try it in the dry season. Pick the pods at 2 to 3 cm, because they turn stringy quickly.

Soil
Light, well-drained soil; does well in sandy loam without much feeding.
pH Range
5.5-7.0
Sunlight
Full sun (minimum 6 hours)
Spacing
20-30cm apart, 45cm between rows
Watering
Water regularly in dry spells, more often once flowering starts. Avoid soggy soil.

Companion plants: Lettuce, Carrot, Radish

Avoid planting near: Onions, Garlic

Grow before, grow after

Asparagus pea sits in the legumes turn of a four turn bed rotation.

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.

Tropical Growing Tips for Asparagus Pea (Winged Bean)

Recommended Varieties

  • Asparagus pea (Lotus tetragonolobus), usually sold unnamed

Key Challenges

  • Wet season heat and humidity
  • Small yields

Pro Tips

  • Pick pods at 2-3 cm, before they turn stringy
  • Twiggy sticks keep pods clean
  • Grow a short row for interest; it is not a bulk crop

Harvesting Asparagus Pea (Winged Bean)

When ready: Pods 2-3 cm long, before they turn stringy.

How to harvest: Pick every 2-3 days; larger pods are woody.

Where to next

Also worth sowing in the tropical zone this October: Ginger, Lemongrass, Basil and Okra.

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Common Questions About Asparagus Pea (Winged Bean)

When do you plant asparagus pea in Australia?

It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:

Does asparagus pea grow all year round in Cairns?

No. In the Tropical zone the planting months are Apr to Jun. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.

Which zone am I in?

Type your postcode into the box under the heading and the page 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 Tropical zone, Cairns is its reference city.