Best Beans & Legumes to Grow in New Hampshire
New Hampshire spans USDA Zones 3–6, typically Zone 5. We've broken out 84 bean varieties by zone — pick your zone below or find the right varieties for your specific part of the state.
Varieties
84
for New Hampshire
USDA
Zones 3–6
120–180 days season
Beginner
60
easy to grow
Heirloom
61
heritage varieties
New Hampshire in USDA Zones 3–6
New Hampshire spans Zones 3–6. Variety lists below are organized by zone — start with your zone for the most accurate recommendations.
Growing Beans & Legumes in New Hampshire
Zone 5 offers excellent bean-growing potential with its 155-day season, but timing is everything. The key challenge here is working around that late April 30th frost date – beans are incredibly frost-sensitive and soil needs to warm to at least 60°F for proper germination. Once established, though, zone 5's warm summers and generally reliable rainfall create ideal conditions for most bean varieties. The trick is choosing varieties that make the most of your growing window while handling the occasional cool snap.
When selecting beans for zone 5, prioritize varieties with shorter days to maturity (50-70 days for bush beans) and good cold tolerance for early and late season growing. Bush varieties like Provider and Contender are zone 5 favorites because they produce quickly and don't require trellising, while pole beans like Kentucky Wonder and Cherokee Trail of Tears offer extended harvests that take advantage of your full growing season. Heat-tolerant varieties are equally important – zone 5 summers can surprise you with their intensity, and beans like Dragon Tongue and Romano Italian handle temperature swings beautifully.
Zone 5 Beans & Legumes for New Hampshire★ Most of NH
84 varieties · Last frost April 30 · 155-day season
Zone 4 Beans & Legumes for New Hampshire
84 varieties · Last frost May 10 · 135-day season
Zone 6 Beans & Legumes for New Hampshire
84 varieties · Last frost April 15 · 180-day season
Zone 3 Beans & Legumes for New Hampshire
84 varieties · Last frost May 15 · 120-day season
Zone 5 Growing Tips for New Hampshire
Never rush your bean planting in zone 5. Even though average last frost is April 30th, soil temperature matters more than air temperature. Wait until soil consistently reads 60°F at 2-inch depth – usually mid to late May. Starting seeds indoors isn't recommended for most beans since they don't transplant well, but you can pre-sprout seeds on damp paper towels indoors to speed germination once planted outside. For insurance, keep row covers handy for unexpected late cold snaps that can damage young plants.
To extend your season, plant bush beans in succession every 2-3 weeks through July, and choose a mix of early (Provider, Bush Blue Lake), mid-season (Dragon Tongue, Romano Italian), and late varieties (Kentucky Wonder pole beans). Pole beans planted by early June will produce until your first frost in early October. In late August, you can plant a final round of fast-maturing bush varieties like Jade or Contender for fall harvest – they'll be ready before that October 5th frost date hits.