Bean Planting Dates

Market Snap
State	Spring	Fall
AL North	4/1-5/15	NR
AL South	2/10-5/1	8/15-9/20
GA North	5/1-7/15	NR
GA South	2/15-4/30	7/15-9/15
MS North	3/30-5/10	8/15-9/1
MS South	2/10-5/1	8/15-9/20
NC East	3/20-6/15	8/1-9/15
NC West	5/1-8/15	NR
SC East	3/20-6/15	8/1-9/15
SC West	5/1-8/15
Proc Snap
State	Spring	Fall
AL North	4/1-5/15	NR
AL South	2/10-5/1	8/15-9/20
GA North	5/1-7/15	NR
GA South	3/1-4/30	8/1-9/15
MS North	4/1-5/15	9/5-9/20
MS South	2/10-4/30	8/15-9/20
NC East	4/1-6/15	NR
NC West	5/15-7/31
SC East	4/1-6/15	NR
SC West	5/15-7/31
Large & Small Lima
State	Spring	Fall
AL North	4/1-4/30	NR
AL South	2/10-5/1	8/15-9/20
GA North	5/1-7/1	NR
GA South	3/1-5/1	7/15-9/1
MS North	4/1-7/25	NR
MS South	3/1-8/15	NR
NC East	4/10-6/15	7/15-8/1
NC West	6/1-7/15
NR
SC East	4/10-6/15	7/15-8/1
SC West	6/1-7/15	NR

Spacing

Snap Beans: Space rows 30 to 36 inches apart, 5 to 7 plants per foot. To increase yield plant in rows 18 to 24 inches apart with 4 to 6 plants per foot. Calibrate planter according to seed size. Sow 1 to 1.5 inches deep in light sandy soil; shallower in heavier soil.

Lima Beans, Large Seeded: Plant in rows 30 to 36 inches apart, 2 plants per foot. Plant 85 pounds per acre, 1 to 1.5 inches deep.

Lima Beans, Small Seeded: Space rows 30 to 36 inches apart, 3 to 4 plants per foot. Plant 60 pounds per acre, 0.75 to 1.25 inches deep (deeper if soil is dry). For mechanically harvested irrigated fields: Rows 18 to 30 inches apart, 4 to 5 inches between plants.

Insect Management

Seed Maggot. See the preceding "Seed Treatment" section, or use approved soil systemic insecticides at planting time if probability of pest outbreak is high. Also see the "Maggots" section in Soil Pests--Their Detection and Control and "Early Season Control" section below.

Experience has shown that effective insect control with systemics usually lasts from 4 to 6 weeks after application. Frequent field inspections are necessary after this period to determine pest incidence and the need for additional spray controls.

Thrips. Treatments should be applied if thrips are present from cotyledon stage to when the first true leaves are established and/or when first blossoms form.

Mites. Spot-treat areas along edges of fields when white stippling along veins on underside of leaves is first noticed and 20 mites per leaflet are present.

Aphids. Treat only if aphids are well-distributed throughout the field (50% or more of terminals with five or more aphids), when weather favors population increase, and if beneficial species are lacking.

Leafhoppers. Treat only if the number of adults plus nymphs exceeds 100 per 20 sweeps during prebloom, 250 per 20 sweeps during bloom, or 500 per 20 sweeps during pod development.

Tarnished Plant Bug (Lygus). Treat only if the number of adults and/or nymphs exceeds 15 per 50 sweeps from the pin pod stage until harvest.

Mexican Bean Beetle. Treat if defoliation exceeds 20% during prebloom or 10% during podding and there is a population potential for further defoliation. These levels of defoliation may result in earlier maturity of the crop. Wait until hatch or adult emergence when eggs and pupae are present. On farms with a succession of bean plantings, releases of the larval parasitoid Pediobius foveolatus may provide effective biological control. Contact the local county Extension office for information.

Beet Armyworm (BAW), Cabbage Looper (CL). Treat only if the number of worms (BAW and CL) averages 30 per 3 feet of row.

European Corn Borer (ECB)-Snap Beans Only. Treat when moth catches in local blacklight traps average five or more per night. The first application should be applied during the bud-early bloom stage and the second application during the late bloom-early pin stage. Additional sprays may be needed between the pin spray and harvest. Consult a pest management specialist for local blacklight trap information and recommended spray intervals.

Corn Earworm (CEW), Fall Armyworm (FAW). In snap beans, treat every 5 to 7 days if CEW catches in local blacklight traps average 20 or more per night and most corn in the area is mature. The use of pheromone (insect sex attractants) and blacklight traps is very helpful in detecting population build-up of various insects.

For large seeded lima beans, treat when CEW populations exceed two per 6 feet of row up to 4 weeks from harvest or three per 6 feet of row thereafter.

For small seeded limas, treat when CEW populations exceed one per 6 feet of row from the late flat pod stage to harvest.

For both lima bean types, treatment should be timed when 50% or more of the CEW and/or FAW populations reach a length of 1/2 inch or longer. Treating too early for young CEW/FAW populations will eliminate natural control and may result in the need for additional sprays for reinfestations. See "How to Improve Pest Control" for insect sampling techniques. Consult a pest management specialist for more refined decision making.

See table 26(a) for further information.

Disease Management

See table 26(b) for further information.

Weed Management

Section 18 Emergency Label requests may be submitted to supplement weed control recommendations in snap beans and lima beans. Identify the weeds in each field and select recommended herbicides that control those weeds. Match preplant incorporated and preemergence herbicide rates to soil type and percent organic matter in each field. Apply postemergence herbicides when crop and weeds are within the recommended size and/or leaf stage.

See table 26(c) for further information.

No-Till

When planning to use no-till practices, give consideration to bean variety, date of planting, soil fertility practices, insect control, planting equipment, mulch, and weed species in the field.

Nematode Management

Use fumigants listed in the "Nematodes" section of Soil Pests--Their Detection and Control.

Soybean cyst nematode, races I and III, are present in soybeans in some areas. Snap beans are susceptible, but small seeded lima beans are resistant to this nematode. Growers who rotate snap beans with soybeans should be alert to the possibility of problems in infested fields.