Planting and Spacing
Legume crops are both cool-season (fresh or dry peas, broad bean) and warm-season(snap or dry beans, lima bean) vegetables. The cool-season legumes germinate in cool soils (below 60 °F), while the warm-season legumes germinate best in warm soils (above 65 °F). Peas grow best when the mean daily temperatures are 60 °F to 70 °F, while beans prefer temperatures of 70 °F to 85 °F. Temperatures significantly warmer than the ideal for the crop results in slow growth and may affect fruit set. Split-set, pod curvature, and stringy pods occur when legumes are exposed to high growing temperatures during flowering (see the Production Problems section).
Planting dates vary widely in Utah depending on local climate conditions. Planting may begin in March in southern Utah (St. George) and may be as late as early June in the cooler mountain areas of northern Utah. Plant the cool-season legumes several weeks before and the warm-season legumes around the frost-free date for the location. Local average last freeze dates can be accessed through the Utah Climate Center.
Plant and row spacing varies with cultivar grown, plant growth habit (bush, pole, or vining types), available equipment, irrigation approach, and market requirements.
Legumes are always direct-seeded. Plant seeds ½ to ¾ inches deep (depending on seed size, soil moisture, time of year, and irrigation availability). Sequential plantings (every 10 days) are possible to provide continuous harvest for bush types. Pole or vining cultivars are trellised on horticultural netting and often grow 5 to 8 feet tall without much training.