When to Plant Edamame
Edamame is a tender warm-season vegetable. Frost damages it, so it goes out only after the last spring frost.
Sow it outdoors 2 to 6 weeks after the last spring frost. The first harvest comes about 80 to 100 days after sowing.
Example dates
The same rules in dates for three climates, using typical frost dates. Enter your ZIP code above for the dates where you live.
| Task | Last frost Mar 15first Nov 15 | Last frost Apr 15first Oct 25 | Last frost May 15first Sep 30 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sow outdoors | Mar 29 – Apr 26 | Apr 29 – May 27 | May 29 – Jun 26 |
| Harvest | Jun 17 – Jul 1 | Jul 18 – Aug 1 | Aug 17 – 31 |
Growing edamame
Pods fill at nearly the same time, so harvest the whole planting within a few days once beans are plump.
- Spacing: 3 in apart, in rows 24 in apart. In a raised bed, 9 per sq ft at square-foot spacing.
- Days to harvest: 80 to 100 from sowing, then about 2 weeks of picking.
- Rotation: edamame is in the bean family. Plant it where nothing from that family grew in the last two years. See crop rotation.
- Traditional companions: broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, collards, kale, kohlrabi, rutabaga, turnip. See companion plants for edamame.
Plan your beds with these dates
Draw your beds, tap squares to plant edamame and everything else, and get every crop's dates for your ZIP code in one calendar. Free, in your browser.
Open the garden plannerQuestions
Can edamame go in before the last frost?
No. Edamame is damaged by frost: sow it 2 to 6 weeks after the last spring frost.
How long does edamame take to grow?
About 80 to 100 days from sowing to the first harvest, which then lasts about 2 weeks. Varieties differ: check the seed packet.
More planting dates
Sources
- NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (annual/seasonal, by station: freeze dates at 32 °F)
- University of Maryland Extension: Vegetable Planting Calendar for central Maryland
- WSU Extension: Pacific Northwest Gardener's Handbook, Chapter 7: Vegetable Gardening
- Iowa State University Extension and Outreach: Vegetable Planting and Harvesting Times (chart, central Iowa)
- Iowa State: All About Beans
- Oregon State University Extension Service: Companion Planting (Food Hero, 2021)