Blue Lake FM-1K

Family: Fabaceae Vegetable

Tender, stringless pods arrive with a cool, vivid blue-green glow—crisp at first bite, then sweet and buttery as they mature.

Blue Lake FM-1K bush beans hold their color beautifully and stay pleasantly firm, making them ideal for fresh harvest and quick turnarounds in the garden. Grow them for reliable, early yields around 50 days, with a clean, uniform look that’s as satisfying to pick as it is to savor in salads, steaming platters, and vibrant sautés.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 50 DaysHabit: Vine

Botanical illustration of Blue Lake FM-1K

Planting schedules and alerts are optimized for Columbus (Zone 6b).

Crop Dates

Milestone	Date
Start Indoors	Direct Sow
Last Frost	Apr 25th
Transplant / Sow Outdoors	Apr 25th
Harvest Begins	Jun 14th
Harvest Ends	Oct 16th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	50
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Vine
Support Needed	Trellis
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	75
Min Soil Temp (°F)	60
Min Night Temp (°F)	50
Harden Off (days)	Not Required

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

These bush beans earn their keep for the crunch—stringless and slow to go soft, they hold shape through fast heat so you still get that fresh, bright snap. The sweet, buttery turn means they behave beautifully with lemony fats (olive oil or butter) rather than needing heavy sauces.

Best Uses

quick steam and toss with olive oil and lemon for a vivid, snappy side
high-heat sauté with garlic and a splash of broth so they stay bright and firm
blanch-then-spring into ice water for a crunchy salad component
stir-fry where they can cook fast and keep color and bite

Flavor Profile

snappy, crisp snap when raw sweet, clean bean flavor with a buttery finish tender pods that soften without turning mushy

Kitchen Pairings

lemon garlic olive oil butter parmesan white wine vinegar

Frequently Asked Questions

Blue Lake FM-1K bean: how do I prevent and control bean rust or bacterial blight?

Look for small brown to reddish spots that spread on leaves (rust) or water-soaked lesions that turn dark and spread quickly (bacterial blight). Remove and destroy the affected leaves, avoid overhead watering, and water at the soil line in the morning so foliage dries fast. If rust/bacterial blight is recurring, apply a labeled copper-based spray (follow the label for beans) and keep plants spaced for airflow.

Blue Lake FM-1K bush bean: how often should I water during flowering and pod-fill?

During flowering through the 3–4 week pod-filling window, keep soil consistently moist but not soggy—about 1 inch of water per week, split into 2–3 waterings if it’s hot or windy. Check by pushing a finger 1 inch into the soil; if it’s dry at that depth, water. Avoid letting the soil dry out completely, because dry spells can cause flower drop and thin, stringier pods.

When is Blue Lake FM-1K ready to harvest, and how do I pick for best yield?

Harvest when pods are about 4.5–6 inches long, firm, and still tender enough to snap easily, usually around 50 days from sowing. Start picking every 1–2 days once harvesting begins, because leaving mature pods on the plant quickly slows new pod production. Pick in the cool part of the day and keep pods refrigerated for the freshest texture.