When to Plant Winged bean in Cairns, Tropical Guide
What this month normally looks like in Tropical
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.
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This 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.
- Planting window
- Nov to Jan
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Low
- Soil pH
- 5.5–7.0
A vigorous tropical climbing legume. Young pods, leaves, flowers, seeds and tubers are all eaten. Most types are short-day plants, so they flower only as days shorten in late summer and autumn.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Tropical
- Jan D
- Feb -
- Mar -
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep -
- Oct -
- Nov D
- Dec D
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
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How to Grow Winged bean in Tropical Australia
- Soil
- Well-drained loam with compost. Tolerates poorer soil because it fixes nitrogen.
- Salt
- Moderately tolerant. Handles slightly salty water better than most veggies.
- pH Range
- 5.5-7.0
- Sunlight
- Full sun (minimum 6 hours)
- Spacing
- 60-90cm apart, 120cm between rows
- Watering
- Regular deep watering, most of all during flowering and pod set. Moderately drought tolerant once established, but pods best with steady moisture.
- Good companions
- Corn, Sweet potato, Cucumber
- Keep away from
- Onions, Garlic
- 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 Winged bean
Recommended Varieties
- Standard short-day types
- Day-neutral selections where available
Pests and problems for Winged bean in Tropical
Harvesting Winged bean
When ready: Pods 7-10 cm long, bright green, snapping crisply, with soft flexible wings.
How to harvest: Pick every 2-3 days; pods turn tough within days in tropical heat.
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 Winged bean
When do you plant winged bean in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Jan, Nov to Dec
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jan, Nov to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Nov to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): not recommended
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): not recommended
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Oct to Nov
- Mediterranean (Perth): Nov to Dec
Can you grow winged bean all year round in Cairns?
No. In the Tropical zone the planting months are Jan, Nov to Dec. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Winged bean in Cairns?
Sow winged bean along a strong trellis early in the wet season. Most types are short-day plants that flower as the days shorten from about March, and the leaves, flowers and tubers are edible too.
How do I know when Winged bean are ready to harvest?
Pods 7-10 cm long, bright green, snapping crisply, with soft flexible wings.
What are the best Winged bean varieties for Cairns?
Recommended varieties for the Tropical zone include: Standard short-day types, Day-neutral selections where available.
What grows well with Winged bean?
Good companion plants for Winged bean include: Corn, Sweet potato, Cucumber.
Are winged bean salt tolerant?
Fairly. Winged bean are moderately tolerant of salt and handle slightly salty water better than most veggies.
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 Tropical zone, Cairns is its reference city.