Planting Lima Seed

Lima bean seeds should be planted 1 ½ to 2 inches deep. Bush limas should be about 4 inches from each other in any direction. On a trellis they should be about six inches from each other along or around the base of the trellis. You can leave the soil bare after planting and wait for the seedlings to get to over 4 inches, at which time you apply a 3 inch layer of organic mulch. The better technique is to spread a thin layer of quality compost over the seeded area then wait to mulch.


Mulching Lima Beans

There should be a 3 inch layer surrounding all lima bean plants from the time the seedlings are 4 inches tall until the end of the growing season. You will need to add to the mulch to keep it at 3 inches. That; thickness of mulch means no weeds, more water retained, soil cooler, and the soil food web is plenty of food.


CARING FOR LIMA BEANS

One of the reasons to use mulch is to avoid having to do any weeding, especially with a tool such as a hoe. Any root disturbance around the lima bean plants will hinder their growth, so handle seedlings as little as possible. If you have to thin the seedlings, cut rather than pull unwanted seedlings.


Water Requirements for Lima Beans

Make sure the plants get 1 to ½ inches of water every week from rain or by watering. Critical watering periods are during pollination and pod development; lack of water may cause pod drop. See the file on soaker hose watering systems for vegetable gardens.

Feeding Requirements

This plant is a light feeder . It needs some slow release granular fertilizer worked into the soil just before planting. A handful for every four square feet should do the job. Adding some compost at that time is helpful. While no more fertilizer is needed, your plants will do better with some foliar spray of something like liquid seaweed or compost tea once a month into the fall.


HARVEST AND STORAGE

How Long Until Picking?
Bush limas will be ready to pick in 10 to 11 weeks from planting the seed. The bush limas will produce beans for two to three weeks. Pole Limas will take a few weeks longer to ripen but will produce beans right through to first hard frost.


When to Harvest

If you will be using lima beans fresh from the garden, pick them when the pods are well filled and plump but still bright colored. The end of the pod should feel spongy when squeezed between your fingers. Fresh beans can be picked for 3 to 4 weeks. If you will be drying your beans, let the pods pass the mature stage, and pick them when they are dry and papery.

Best Fresh Storage Method - Refrigerate unshelled lima beans in plastic bags; they will keep for 2 weeks.

Best Long-Term Storage Method - Shelled lima beans can be frozen for up to 12 months.

Dried beans will keep for more than a year; limas can also be canned or used in pickles.

Seed Storage - seeds can be stored in a dry cool place for up to 3 years.

PROBLEMS OF LIMA BEANS
 

Symptom	Probable Cause
Pods are mottled with white, fuzzy fungus strands on them	Downy Mildew, A Fungal Disease
Fruits develop small, round, water-soaked spots; later, fruits darken and rot	Anthracnose, A Fungal Disease
Leaves are skeletonized	Mexican Bean Beetles
Leaves wrinkled or curled; discolored, stunted, tend to fall off	Bean Aphids
Leaves stippled, yellowing or bronze; dry out and (drop)may be webbing visible; sometimes galls form on leaves	Spider Mites
Fail to set pods	High Temperatures; Over Mature Pods; Extremes In Moisture
Plant chewed to soil	Deer, Rabbits, or a Wood Chuck
Rust colored spots, underside leaves, leaves yellow, wilt, dry, fall off	Bean Rust, A Fungal Disease
Leaves coated with white powder	Powdery Mildew, A Fungal Disease