Blue Lake Stringless

Family: Fabaceae Vegetable

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Blue Lake Stringless to a garden.

Silken, sky-blue pods unfurl with a luminous sheen, turning from crisp green into an alluring blue-lavender hue as they mature.

Blue Lake Stringless bush beans deliver tender, meaty bites with a smooth, snap-tender texture—ideal for fresh picking and for steaming or sautéing, plus vibrant additions to salads and quick pickles. Grow them for a steady harvest over weeks, with the stringless convenience that keeps every pod tasting clean and sweet.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 50 DaysHabit: Bush

Botanical illustration of Blue Lake Stringless

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Blue Lake Stringless Planting Dates by USDA Zone

Estimated US hardiness-zone windows for sow, transplant, and harvest. Enter a US ZIP above for exact local dates, or open a zone below.

Zone	Start Indoors	Sow / Transplant	Harvest
Zone 1a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 1b	Direct Sow	Jun 1st	Jul 21st – Aug 1st
Zone 2a	Direct Sow	May 25th	Jul 14th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Direct Sow	May 15th	Jul 4th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Direct Sow	May 15th	Jul 4th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Direct Sow	May 19th	Jul 8th – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Direct Sow	May 15th	Jul 4th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Direct Sow	May 13th	Jul 2nd – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Direct Sow	May 8th	Jun 27th – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Direct Sow	May 4th	Jun 23rd – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Direct Sow	May 1st	Jun 20th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Direct Sow	Apr 25th	Jun 14th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Direct Sow	Apr 20th	Jun 9th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Direct Sow	Apr 10th	May 30th – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Direct Sow	Apr 1st	May 21st – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Direct Sow	Mar 23rd	May 12th – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Direct Sow	Mar 6th	Apr 25th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Direct Sow	Feb 9th	Mar 31st – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 10b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 11a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 11b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 12a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 12b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 13a	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th
Zone 13b	—	Oct 1st	Nov 20th – Feb 28th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	50
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Bush
Support Needed	None
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	70
Min Soil Temp (°F)	55
Min Night Temp (°F)	50
Harden Off (days)	Not Required

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

These stringless bush beans cook fast and stay smooth—no fibrous tug, just a clean snap and a gentle sweetness. They’re tailor-made for high-heat butter/garlic or a quick pickle where the pods keep their bite and color-forward charm.

Best Uses

quick sauté with butter and garlic, cooked just to keep the snap
steaming and finishing with lemon and flaky salt
brief blanch-and-chill for salads that stay crisp
quick refrigerator pickles for a tangy, crunchy bite

Flavor Profile

sweet, green-bean brightness snap-tender, meaty pods clean, stringless mouthfeel light herbal finish

Kitchen Pairings

butter garlic lemon olive oil parmesan smoked paprika

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my Blue Lake Stringless beans turning yellow, and how do I manage common rust or fungal leaf spotting?

Yellowing and small brown/orange spots with speckled leaf areas are often rust or fungal leaf spotting in string beans. Remove and discard badly infected leaves, keep foliage dry (water at the soil line), and improve airflow by spacing plants so leaves don’t crowd. If new spotting keeps spreading, use a labeled fungicide for beans as soon as symptoms appear and reapply per the label.

How often should I water Blue Lake Stringless beans during the main growing phase (from flowering to pod fill)?

Water deeply 1–2 times per week so the top 2–3 inches of soil stay consistently moist, especially once plants start flowering and setting pods. In hot, windy weather you may need more frequent watering, but avoid soggy soil—beans need oxygen around roots to form pods. A quick test: if the soil is dry and crumbly at finger depth, water; if it’s wet or muddy, hold off.

How can I tell exactly when my Blue Lake Stringless bean pods are ready to harvest?

Start harvesting around 50 days when pods are firm, crisp, and reach the Blue Lake typical length (about 4–6 inches) before seeds bulge. Pods should snap easily when bent and the surface should look smooth and evenly green. If pods are tough or the seeds are clearly visible through the pod, they’re past peak—harvest promptly to keep plants producing.