Silver Cloud

Family: Fabaceae Legume

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Silver Cloud to a garden.

Silvery pods shimmer above the foliage, and inside, Silver Cloud delivers creamy, pale beans with a refined, nutty sweetness and a pleasantly firm bite when dried.

The dry kernels cook up tender without collapsing, making them ideal for hearty potting—especially when you want a smooth, comforting texture in bean-forward favorites. Grow for a dependable, 90-day harvest that stores beautifully and turns every batch into a pantry staple.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 90 DaysHabit: Bush

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Silver Cloud 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	Protected Environment Only
Zone 2a	Direct Sow	May 25th	Aug 23rd – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Direct Sow	May 15th	Aug 13th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Direct Sow	May 15th	Aug 13th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Direct Sow	May 19th	Aug 17th – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Direct Sow	May 15th	Aug 13th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Direct Sow	May 13th	Aug 11th – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Direct Sow	May 8th	Aug 6th – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Direct Sow	May 4th	Aug 2nd – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Direct Sow	May 1st	Jul 30th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Direct Sow	Apr 25th	Jul 24th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Direct Sow	Apr 20th	Jul 19th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Direct Sow	Apr 10th	Jul 9th – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Direct Sow	Apr 1st	Jun 30th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Direct Sow	Mar 23rd	Jun 21st – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Direct Sow	Mar 6th	Jun 4th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Direct Sow	Feb 9th	May 10th – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	Continuous Production
Zone 10b	Continuous Production
Zone 11a	Continuous Production
Zone 11b	Continuous Production
Zone 12a	Continuous Production
Zone 12b	Continuous Production
Zone 13a	Continuous Production
Zone 13b	Continuous Production

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	90
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

Silver Cloud’s dried kernels cook up tender yet still keep a firm, creamy center—no grainy collapse. It’s the kind of bean that stays intact in a long simmer, then becomes luxuriously spoonable once you finish with fat and aromatics.

Best Uses

bean-forward soups and stews where you want the beans to hold their shape
slow-simmered potage or purées that stay thick rather than paste-y
chili and braises where the beans add silky body without collapsing
pantry-style beans for reheating—good texture after storage

Flavor Profile

nutty, refined sweetness creamy interior with a pleasantly firm bite clean, legume-forward flavor when cooked through

Kitchen Pairings

onion garlic bay leaf smoked pork tomato olive oil

Frequently Asked Questions

What pest or disease commonly affects Phaseolus vulgaris (silver bean/green bean), and how do I control it?

A frequent problem is bean rust (often from humid conditions), which shows up as orange-brown pustules on leaves. Remove and discard infected leaves, keep plants spaced for airflow, water at the soil line (not the foliage), and apply a copper-based fungicide if spots appear early and weather stays wet. If you can, rotate crops and avoid replanting beans in the same bed for at least 2–3 years.

How often should I water Phaseolus vulgaris during the main growing phase?

During flowering and pod fill (when most growth happens), keep soil evenly moist but not waterlogged—about 1 inch (2.5 cm) per week total, adjusting for heat and rainfall. Water deeply when the top 1 inch of soil feels dry, since beans suffer from blossom drop and poor pod set if they dry out for long periods. Avoid frequent light watering that leaves the root zone dry.

How can I tell when Phaseolus vulgaris is ready to harvest?

Harvest when pods are fully formed but still tender: you should be able to snap a pod easily and the seeds inside are small and not hard. Check plants every 2–3 days once they start producing, because pods can quickly become tough as days pass (this crop is about 90 days to maturity). For best quality, pick in the morning and harvest through the peak pod-picking period.