As cover crop: Plant in very early spring to mow and incorporate at flowering, or in mid-fall to protect soil from fall rains before they succumb to cold at 10–15°.
As feed grain: In temperate climates with long cool springs or warmer winters than we have in Maine, bell beans are a great alternative to peas or soy; plant in late fall for harvest in mid-spring. They don’t perform well as a grain crop in Maine because they won’t survive winter and if spring-planted tend to drop their blossoms without setting pods in temperatures over 70°.