Do Radish Seeds Grow Faster Than Butter Beans?

Description of Butter Beans

• Butter beans (Phaseolus lunatus), also known as lima beans, are a traditional staple in many Southern dishes. Sometimes seasoned with bacon or ham, rich and flavorful butter beans are a popular vegetable side dish. There are many different varieties of butter beans including bush beans such as Henderson, Eastland, Thorogree and Fordhook. Climbing or pole varieties include Florida, Yellow, King of the Garden, and Christmas. Different varieties of butter beans grow and mature at different rates. The majority of varieties of butter beans take 3 to 4 months to reach maturity. Baby limas mature much faster and are ready to harvest in about 2-1/2 months.

Butter Bean Cultivation

• Planting butter beans in the home garden is an easy way to bring add the appetizing bean to your family table. A fast-growing, warm-season crop, butter beans grow best in a full-sun location with fertile, well-drained soil. Plant butter bean seeds 1/2 inch deep in heavy soils and 1 inch deep in light soils. Space 6 to 8 inches apart. Butter bean seeds are very sensitive to cold. Do not plant until the soil has warmed to at least 55 degrees. If the soil is too cold, the seeds will not germinate. Butter beans require 1 inch of water per week and benefit from an addition of well-aged manure or garden compost. Stakes for pole beans should be 6 to 8 feet high with a rough surface for the beans to climb.

Radish Description

• Radishes can be sown in the home garden in both the spring and fall. They are table-ready in less than a month. A radish is a fast-maturing, cool-season vegetable. One of the easiest vegetables to grow, radishes are a available in a variety of colors and flavors. Some are mild and sweet, while others are hot and spicy.

Radish Cultivation

• Radish seeds can be planted in early- to mid-spring, as early as the soil can be worked There are many different varieties of fast-growing spring radishes. Cherry Belle is a firm, round red radish that matures in 22 days. Burpee White, Easter Egg, Plum Purple and Fuego varieties mature in 25 days. Snow Belle is a smooth, round white radish that matures in 30 days. Plant radishes in rows in a fertile, well-drained soil. Radishes love sunshine. Plant in a location that provides 6 to 8 hours of sun per day.