Bean, Cangreen Lima, Bush

Grow prolific bush lima beans with green dry seeds suited to canning or home cooking.

Green seed in a bush plant

Cangreen is a bush lima bean that matures in about 68 days and produces a heavy crop of pods. Its distinctive seed color stays green even when the seed is dry. That gives you a useful choice for canning or cooking at home. The bush habit keeps the plants self-supporting, so there is no need to build a tall climbing structure. Set aside a clear bed with room to reach the pods as they fill.

Wait for warm soil

Lima beans need warm weather. Sow after frost danger has passed in a sunny bed that drains well. Plant seed 1 to 1½ inches deep, with 3 to 6 inches between plants and 18 inches between rows. Those distances leave room to reach the bush plants as pods fill. Keep the root zone evenly moist while plants flower and pods develop. A shallow layer of mulch helps conserve water once the ground has warmed.

Let pods fill before picking

Watch the pods as they develop. For fresh shelling, pick when they are plump and filled with green beans, before pods yellow. Remove them carefully so branches stay intact. If you want dry beans, leave pods on the plant until they mature and dry, then shell and store the seed in a cool, dry place. The dry green color is part of what makes this variety useful when you want a lima bean that keeps its distinct appearance.

Plan for a full harvest

Shell fresh beans for soups, succotash, or a simple side dish. Cook them until tender and season with herbs, butter, or a little broth. Dry beans can be saved for later meals or prepared for canning with a tested recipe. Do not rely on appearance to judge safe processing. Use current tested instructions for the exact preservation method and jar size. Pick through the bed as pods fill so the fresh harvest does not sit in the heat.