Top Notch Golden Wax
Phaseolus vulgaris 'Top Notch Golden Wax'
A premium yellow wax bean variety that combines disease resistance with exceptional eating quality and attractive golden-yellow pods. This modern improvement on classic wax beans offers more consistent production and better pod quality than older varieties. The tender, stringless pods have a delicate flavor and beautiful presentation that makes them perfect for fresh eating or preserving.
Harvest
50-55d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun
Zones
2–11
USDA hardiness
Difficulty
Easy
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Top Notch Golden Wax in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 bean →Zone Map
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Top Notch Golden Wax · Zones 2–11
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | — | — | June – July | August – October |
| Zone 4 | — | — | June – July | August – October |
| Zone 5 | — | — | May – June | August – September |
| Zone 6 | — | — | May – June | July – September |
| Zone 7 | — | — | April – June | July – August |
| Zone 8 | — | — | April – May | June – August |
| Zone 9 | — | — | March – April | May – July |
| Zone 10 | — | — | February – April | May – June |
Complete Growing Guide
Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day). Soil: High Organic Matter. Drainage: Good Drainage. Spacing: 6-feet-12 feet. Growth rate: Rapid. Maintenance: 'Rattlesnake'Pole Snap Bean, 'Rattlesnake'. Propagation: Seed. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.
Harvesting
The boat-shaped seed pods are bilaterally symmetrical and can be green, yellow, white, or purple at maturity. There is a wide variety of color and shape choices among cultivars.
Color: Gold/Yellow, Green, Purple/Lavender, White. Type: Legume. Length: > 3 inches. Width: < 1 inch.
Garden value: Edible, Good Dried
Harvest time: Fall, Summer
Bloom time: Spring, Summer
Storage & Preservation
Fresh Top Notch Golden Wax beans store best in the refrigerator, unwashed in a perforated plastic bag in the crisper drawer. They maintain peak quality for 5-7 days, though their golden color may fade slightly over time. For optimal flavor and texture, use within 3 days of harvest.
For freezing, blanch whole pods in boiling water for 3 minutes, immediately plunge into ice water, then drain and package in freezer bags. Frozen wax beans retain their quality for 8-12 months. Their tender texture makes them excellent for canning—follow USDA guidelines for pressure canning green beans, as the same processing times apply to wax varieties.
Wax beans can also be pickled using standard dilly bean recipes, where their golden color creates an attractive alternative to traditional green pickled beans. Dehydrating is less common but possible; blanch briefly before drying to preserve color and texture.
History & Origin
Origin: Tropical America
Advantages
- +Fast-growing
Considerations
- -Toxic (Seeds): Medium severity
Companion Plants
Plant Together
Marigolds
Repel bean beetles, aphids, and other harmful insects while attracting beneficial predators
Nasturtiums
Act as trap crops for aphids and cucumber beetles, protecting beans from pest damage
Carrots
Help break up soil for bean roots and don't compete for nutrients since beans fix nitrogen
Radishes
Loosen soil around bean plants and mature quickly without competing for space
Lettuce
Benefits from nitrogen fixed by beans and provides living mulch to retain soil moisture
Summer Savory
Repels bean weevils and may improve bean flavor and growth
Rosemary
Deters bean beetles and other pests with its strong aromatic compounds
Corn
Provides natural support structure for climbing varieties and benefits from nitrogen fixed by beans
Keep Apart
Onions
May inhibit bean growth and nitrogen fixation through root secretions
Fennel
Produces allelopathic compounds that inhibit growth and development of bean plants
Sunflowers
Compete heavily for nutrients and water while potentially releasing growth-inhibiting chemicals
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #2346400)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Resistant to bean common mosaic virus and white mold
Common Pests
Mexican bean beetle, aphids, leafhoppers
Diseases
Bacterial blight, rust, powdery mildew