How to grow edamame in a raised bed

Edamame are young green soybeans, steamed in the pod and podded straight into your mouth — a fun, protein-packed summer crop that's easy in a warm raised bed and fixes nitrogen while it grows.

Quick facts

• Position: full sun, 6+ hours
• Spacing: 10–15 cm apart
• Tub depth: our 35 cm depth
• Time to harvest: 10–14 weeks

When to plant: Edamame (soybean) is frost-tender — sow directly from late spring through summer, once the soil is warm. Our free planting calendar shows the right months for your postcode.

Growing it in a raised bed: Sow seed straight into warm mix in a block for good pollination. As a legume it fixes its own nitrogen, so go easy on feeding. Bush plants need no support.

Watering and feeding: Keep the mix evenly moist, especially as the pods fill, for plump beans.

Common pests: keep an eye out for aphids and caterpillars. Most are easily managed — see our safe pest guide.

Common diseases: the main ones are rust and mosaic virus. Good airflow, morning watering and steady moisture prevent most.

Companion plants: A soil-improving legume; grows well near corn and cucumbers. See our companion planting guide.

Harvest and storage: Harvest when the pods are plump and green but before they yellow — pick the whole plant at once, as pods mature together. Steam and salt the pods.

More growing guides: beans, snake beans and peanuts.

Plan your patch: our free planting calendar shows what to plant now where you live. Ready to grow? Browse our raised garden beds or build your own with the garden bed builder.

Image: AnonymousUnknown author, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.