Warm seasonVegetableDirect

Edamame

Glycine max

Edamame is a warm-season bush legume grown for tender green soybeans eaten from the pod. It is direct-sown after soil warms in late spring and needs full sun with even moisture while pods fill. Maturity is roughly 75–110 days from sowing, and pods should be picked plump and bright green before seeds turn starchy.

Plant family Fabaceae · Also called green soybean, vegetable soybean

Edamame
75–110 daysfrom sowing to harvest
Planting timing

Sow into warm soil after frost.

Direct sow outdoors from about one to three weeks after the last spring frost, when soil temperature supports germination in the listed 7–14 day window. Plant seeds about 3.8 cm deep; this record does not include an indoor start window, so field sowing is the primary path.

Tender frost tolerance means cold soil delays emergence and risks stand loss. Succession sowings about every 14 days can stagger harvest if the season remains warm long enough for later plantings to reach pod stage.

1 weeks after to 3 weeks after last frostDirect sow outdoors

Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.

3.8 cm deepSow seed

Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.

7–14 daysExpect germination

Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.

75–110 daysBegin harvest

Use this range as a planning baseline and adjust for local conditions.

Planting material: Seed. Life cycle: Annual.
Space & containers

Space bush rows for pod harvest.

Allow 10–15 cm between plants and 60 cm between rows so bush plants receive light and airflow through the canopy. Compact spacing still needs enough room for hand harvest without breaking stems.

Containers require at least 30 cm depth and about 12 litres of medium for one productive plant. Standard space need reflects both root volume and the width of a mature bush at pod fill.

Core measurements

Between plants10–15 cm

Crop-level planning range.

Between rows60 cm

Crop-level planning range.

Container depth30+ cm

Crop-level planning range.

Container volume12+ L

Crop-level planning range.

Growth habitBush

Allow for the mature form of the selected variety.

SupportNone

Install support early when it is required or useful.

Growing conditions

Keep moisture even during pod fill.

Six hours of direct sun matches the full-sun label and supports steady pod set. Moderate water at 25–35 mm weekly with pH 6.0–7.5; water deeply when the upper 2–3 cm of soil begins to dry, as noted in the watering guidance.

Even moisture through flowering and pod expansion reduces aborted pods. Avoid working among wet foliage to limit disease spread in dense stands.

Sunlight

6+ hours

Full sun (6+ direct-sun hours/day)

Soil pH

6–7

A suitable acidity range for general growth.

Weekly water

25–35 mm

Moderate water need.

How to water

Aim for even moisture and water deeply when the upper 2-3 cm of soil begins to dry.

Growth & harvest

Pick green pods before seeds harden.

Expect 75–110 days from sowing for harvest-ready pods, with the harvest basis counted from sowing rather than transplanting. Pick when pods feel full and remain bright green, following the key tip before seeds mature inside.

Frequent picking encourages plants to keep producing on side branches in favorable weather. Stop harvesting once pods yellow or seeds feel hard, because eating quality drops quickly after that stage.

Germination7–14 days

Read with the full crop profile.

Harvest basisSowing

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Life cycleAnnual

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Frost toleranceTender

Read with the full crop profile.

Key growing tip

Harvest pods when they are plump and bright green, before the seeds become fully mature.

Edamame growing questions

When should edamame pods be picked?

Harvest when pods are plump and bright green, before seeds become fully mature inside. That timing matches the key tip and delivers the tender texture edamame is grown for.

Can edamame be started indoors?

This crop record lists direct sowing only, with outdoor timing from one to three weeks after the last frost. Starting indoors is not part of the verified parameters for this profile.

How often can edamame be resown?

Succession interval is about 14 days when weather stays warm enough for later plantings to finish within the 75–110 day harvest range from sowing.

What spacing suits edamame rows?

Plant spacing is 10–15 cm within rows and 60 cm between rows, which balances bush size with airflow for hand harvest through the pod-fill window.

Profile values are crop-level planning ranges compiled from sources S2,S4,S5. Local climate and variety can change actual results.

Explore another crop

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