Yes. JoeBees is completely free to use, with no account required. Plan a raised bed, ask the AI gardening tutor questions, and print a take-outside sheet at no cost.

How big should my raised garden bed be?

A 4×8 foot raised bed is the most popular starter size. It gives you 32 square feet — enough for a varied salad, herb, and tomato mix — while staying narrow enough to reach the center from either side without stepping into the bed and compacting the soil.

What is square-foot gardening?

Square-foot gardening, popularized by Mel Bartholomew, divides a raised bed into 12-inch squares and assigns each square a set number of plants based on their mature size. JoeBees uses this method to maximize yield per square foot while preventing crowding and root competition.

Does JoeBees support companion planting?

Yes. JoeBees flags antagonistic pairings placed too close together and groups proven companions automatically. The AI layout tool also accounts for spacing, sun exposure, and your USDA hardiness zone.

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Pole Bean

vegetable

Fixes nitrogen. Needs a 6–8 ft trellis or teepee. More productive than bush beans over a longer season — harvest regularly to keep plants setting pods.

At a glance

USDA Zones: 3–10
Sun: Full sun (6+ hrs)
Water: Medium — water when top inch of soil is dry
Soil: loam
pH: neutral
Spacing: 6 in. between plants
SFG per sq ft: 4 plants per 1-ft cell
Days to maturity: ~65 days

Planting & harvest windows

Northern Hemisphere timing. Adjust ±4–6 weeks based on your last/first frost dates.

Activity	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Plant
Harvest

Plant Harvest

Good companions

🌽
Corn
Classic Three Sisters: pole beans climb the corn for support and feed it nitrogen.
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Cucumber
🥕
Carrot
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Squash

Keep apart from

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Onion
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Garlic
🌾
Fennel
🌻
Sunflower

Recommended varieties

Kentucky Wonder
65 daysseed
The all-time classic pole bean — tender, meaty, great flavor.
Blue Lake Pole
60 daysseed
Stringless, straight pods. Same flavor as the bush version but higher yields.
Romano (Italian Flat)
65 daysseed
Wide, flat Italian pole bean with rich, nutty flavor.
Rattlesnake
70 daysseed
Streaked purple-and-green heirloom, heat-tolerant and beautiful.

Add Pole Bean to your raised bed — the planner handles spacing and companion warnings automatically.

Open the planner →

← All plants Full companion chart →