Lima King of the Garden Pole
Phaseolus lunatus 'King of the Garden'
An impressive pole lima bean that produces the largest, most flavorful lima beans you can grow in a home garden. This vigorous climbing variety yields enormous pods packed with 4-5 buttery, sweet beans that are considered the gold standard for fresh or dried lima bean cuisine.
Harvest
85-95d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun
Zones
4–10
USDA hardiness
Difficulty
Moderate
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Lima King of the Garden Pole in USDA Zone 7
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Lima King of the Garden Pole · Zones 4–10
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | — | — | June – July | October – October |
| Zone 4 | — | — | June – July | September – October |
| Zone 5 | — | — | May – June | September – October |
| Zone 6 | — | — | May – June | September – October |
| Zone 7 | — | — | April – June | August – October |
| Zone 8 | — | — | April – May | August – September |
| Zone 9 | — | — | March – April | July – August |
| Zone 10 | — | — | February – April | June – August |
| Zone 1 | — | — | July – August | November – August |
| Zone 2 | — | — | June – August | October – September |
| Zone 11 | — | — | January – March | May – July |
| Zone 12 | — | — | January – March | May – July |
| Zone 13 | — | — | January – March | May – July |
Succession Planting
Direct sow every 3 weeks from late April through the end of June in zone 7, aiming for no more than 3 plantings total. King of the Garden needs 85-95 days to harvest, so seed in the ground after late June is racing the first fall frost — do the math for your specific last frost date before committing to that third sowing. UGA's Vegetable Garden Calendar marks May as a solid window for a second or third lima planting, which lines up well with this math.
Lima bean pollen drops and pods fail to set when daytime highs stay above 90°F for more than a few consecutive days. If your summers run that hot by early July, skip the late sowing entirely and let the June planting carry you through to the October harvest window instead.
Complete Growing Guide
Start your Lima King of the Garden Pole beans by preparing a sunny location with sturdy support structures — these vigorous climbers will reach 8-10 feet tall and produce heavy pods that require robust 8-foot poles or a strong trellis system. Install your supports before planting to avoid root disturbance later.
Amend your soil with 2-3 inches of compost or well-aged manure, as lima beans are heavy feeders that demand rich, fertile soil. Unlike other beans, limas prefer slightly alkaline soil with a pH between 6.0-7.0, so test and adjust with lime if needed. Ensure excellent drainage — lima beans are particularly susceptible to root rot in waterlogged conditions.
Wait to direct sow until soil temperature consistently reaches 65°F and nighttime temperatures stay above 55°F. Lima beans are extremely frost-sensitive and won't germinate in cool soil. Plant seeds 2 inches deep and 6 inches apart at the base of each pole. Soak seeds overnight in lukewarm water to improve germination rates, which can be spotty with lima beans.
Skip the pre-plant nitrogen fertilizer since lima beans fix their own nitrogen. Instead, side-dress with compost or a balanced fertilizer (10-10-10) when plants begin flowering, around week 6-8. Apply a second feeding when pods start forming to support the energy-intensive process of filling those large beans.
Train young vines onto supports when they reach 6 inches tall, gently wrapping them counterclockwise around poles. Lima beans climb more slowly than snap beans, so provide guidance during the first few weeks. Mulch heavily around the base to maintain consistent soil moisture — erratic watering causes pod drop and poor bean development.
Avoid overhead watering once flowering begins, as lima beans are prone to fungal diseases. Use soaker hoses or water at soil level early in the morning. Common mistakes include planting too early (cold soil kills seeds), inadequate support structures (poles break under the weight), and inconsistent watering during pod fill (causes flat, poorly developed beans).
For maximum yields, harvest pods regularly once they reach maturity. The plant will continue producing until frost, often yielding 2-3 pounds per pole in optimal conditions.
Harvesting
Lima King of the Garden Pole beans reach peak harvest readiness when pods turn a deep green with slight yellowing at the edges and measure 4-5 inches long, filled with visibly plump, firm beans that feel substantial when gently squeezed. Pods are ready when they snap cleanly but the beans inside remain tender rather than fully dried and hardened. This variety rewards continuous harvesting every 2-3 days, which encourages ongoing pod production throughout the season rather than a single flush of mature beans. Time your harvesting for early morning after dew dries, as this is when pods are most turgid and snap cleanly from the vine without damaging the plant, maximizing your yield from these vigorous climbers.
Edibility: EDIBLE PARTS: Toxicity is only partially destroyed by cooking; therefore do not cook the ornamental, striped beans grown for the flowers and foliage
Storage & Preservation
Fresh lima beans keep best when shelled immediately and stored in the refrigerator in perforated bags for up to one week. For longer storage, blanch shelled beans in boiling water for 2 minutes, shock in ice water, drain thoroughly, and freeze in portions. They'll maintain quality for 8-12 months frozen.
To dry lima beans for storage, leave pods on the plant until completely dry and tan-colored. Shell beans and spread on screens in a well-ventilated area for final drying until beans are hard. Store dried beans in airtight containers in a cool, dark place — properly dried Lima King beans will keep for 2-3 years. These large limas are also excellent for canning using pressure-canning methods, maintaining their buttery texture better than smaller varieties.
History & Origin
The 'King of the Garden' lima bean represents a classic American heirloom selection that emerged during the nineteenth century, though precise breeder attribution and introduction year remain poorly documented in available horticultural records. This variety belongs to the larger Phaseolus lunatus breeding tradition that gained prominence among American gardeners seeking large-podded, high-yielding pole lima beans suitable for both fresh consumption and storage. The 'King of the Garden' nomenclature suggests deliberate selection for superior size and productivity within the lima bean germplasm, likely developed through informal farmer breeding rather than institutional programs. Its enduring popularity and continued commercial availability indicate it successfully met grower preferences for yield and quality, establishing itself as a standard cultivar that persists in seed catalogs and home gardens today.
Origin: Tropics
Advantages
- +Produces the largest lima beans available for home gardeners
- +Rich, buttery flavor superior to most commercial lima bean varieties
- +Vigorous climbing habit maximizes vertical garden space efficiently
- +Yields 4-5 beans per pod, providing abundant harvests from fewer plants
Considerations
- -Susceptible to multiple diseases including downy mildew and bacterial blight
- -Requires 85-95 days to maturity, limiting growing season in cool climates
- -Attracts multiple pest species like lima bean pod borers and beetles
Companion Plants
King of the Garden is a pole type, so corn is a practical pairing first and a companion plant second — the stalks give the beans something to climb if you let corn get 6-8 inches tall before direct-sowing beans 8 inches out from each base. The beans return the favor by fixing nitrogen around the roots, which corn pulls heavily. French marigolds (Tagetes patula) are worth planting along the border: their root exudates suppress soil nematodes, and they draw aphids away from bean foliage. Summer savory has a long reputation as a bean companion; the insect-confusion claim is mostly folklore, but it doesn't compete aggressively for water or root space, so it costs you nothing to run a row of it nearby.
Onions and garlic are the ones to keep back — both release sulfur compounds that suppress bean germination and slow early growth. Beans planted within 12-18 inches of an established allium row will noticeably underperform. Sunflowers are a different problem: allelopathic through the root zone and tall enough to shade out a planting that needs 6-8 hours of full sun to reach the 85-95 day maturity window.
Plant Together
Corn
Provides natural pole support for climbing beans, classic three sisters companion
Marigolds
Repel bean beetles and nematodes, reduce pest damage
Carrots
Beans fix nitrogen in soil that carrots utilize, carrots don't compete for space
Radishes
Break up soil for bean roots, mature quickly before beans need full space
Nasturtiums
Attract beneficial insects and act as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles
Summer Savory
Repels bean beetles and may improve bean flavor and growth
Lettuce
Benefits from bean's nitrogen fixation and shade, efficient use of garden space
Catnip
Repels flea beetles and ants that can damage bean plants
Keep Apart
Onions
Can inhibit bean growth and nitrogen fixation through root compounds
Sunflowers
Allelopathic compounds inhibit bean germination and growth
Garlic
Sulfur compounds can stunt bean growth and interfere with nitrogen fixation
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #2346400)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Moderate resistance to downy mildew
Common Pests
Lima bean pod borer, Mexican bean beetle, aphids
Diseases
Downy mildew, bacterial blight, pod rot
Troubleshooting Lima King of the Garden Pole
What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.
Leaves with ragged chunks missing, yellow stippling, or small round holes — plants looking chewed down around weeks 6-8
Likely Causes
- Mexican bean beetle (Epilachna varivestis) — larvae skeletonize leaves from the underside, leaving a papery brown lattice
- Bean leaf beetle (Cerotoma trifurcata) — punches clean round holes through leaf tissue
What to Do
- 1.Flip leaves and look for yellow egg clusters or soft spiny larvae; hand-pick and drop in soapy water
- 2.Apply spinosad or neem oil at first sign of heavy feeding — repeat every 7-10 days if pressure stays high
- 3.UGA's Vegetable Garden Calendar flags both beetles as early-season threats, so start scouting at planting, not after damage appears
Water-soaked or brown lesions on pods and lower leaves, sometimes with a white cottony coating on leaf undersides during humid stretches
Likely Causes
- Downy mildew (Peronospora phaseoli) — thrives when nights drop below 65°F and humidity is high
- Bacterial blight (Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. phaseolicola) — spreads through rain splash and wet handling
What to Do
- 1.Stop overhead watering immediately; switch to drip or soaker hose and keep foliage dry
- 2.Strip and trash (don't compost) affected leaves and pods — the spores overwinter in plant debris
- 3.Don't work in the bed when plants are wet; bacterial blight moves fast from wet hands and tools to healthy tissue
Frequently Asked Questions
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Growing Guides from Wind River Greens
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Sources & References
External authority sources used in compiling this guide.
See the Methodology page for how this data is sourced, what's AI-assisted, and known limitations.