Fordhook 242

Family: Fabaceae Legume

Sink your spoon into Fordhook 242’s luxuriously creamy, medium-large lima beans—tender with a buttery, sweet-green flavor that feels almost velvety.

The pods develop a sturdy, upright look and hold well as the beans fill out, producing a satisfying, substantial bite that shines in classic lima-bean preparations and hearty side dishes. Grow Fordhook 242 for dependable, home-garden harvests when you want rich, comforting flavor from the first ripe pods through the season’s end.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 85 DaysHabit: Bush

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	Jul 19th
Harvest Ends	Oct 16th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	85
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Bush
Support Needed	None
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	70
Min Soil Temp (°F)	60
Min Night Temp (°F)	55
Harden Off (days)	Not Required

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Fordhook 242 leans luxuriously creamy, so treat it like a spoonable starch: gentle heat and a buttery finish keep that velvety texture from tightening up. It’s the kind of lima bean that turns a simple side into something you want to keep eating straight from the pot.

Best Uses

slow-simmered lima-bean succotash-style dishes
butter-and-garlic pan warm-ups where they stay velvety
thickening a white bean purée for soups or spoon sides
braises and pot pies where they hold shape without going chalky

Flavor Profile

buttery sweet-green flavor creamy, spoonable interior tender but substantial bite lightly grassy finish

Kitchen Pairings

bacon smoked ham shallot butter garlic fresh thyme

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s a common disease or pest problem for Phaseolus lunatus (lima bean) like ‘Fordhook 242’, and how do I control it?

Watch for bean rust and fungal leaf spots, which show up as yellow-orange to brown pustules or dark spots on the foliage during warm, humid weather. Remove infected leaves early, improve airflow (space plants well), and water at the soil line instead of overhead. If issues spread quickly, use a labeled copper-based fungicide and follow the label reapplication interval.

How often should I water Phaseolus lunatus during its main growing phase (from flowering through pod fill)?

Keep the soil evenly moist but not waterlogged—about 1 inch of water per week, with extra during hot spells, while ensuring the top few inches don’t dry out completely. Water deeply when the soil surface begins to dry, then let excess drain; lima beans are especially prone to poor pod set and disease when the root zone stays soggy. Mulch helps stabilize moisture through the pod-filling period.

How can I tell when Fordhook 242 lima beans are ready to harvest?

Harvest when pods are fully filled and the seeds inside look plump and reach the variety’s typical size, typically around 85 days from sowing. For shelling (green) beans, pick pods before they start to harden or dry—seeds should be tender and creamy, not tough. If you’re growing for dry beans, leave pods on the plant until they turn dry and brittle, then harvest and finish drying indoors.