Bean Lima Fordhook Bush 242, also called butterbean, produces large, plump, pale-green beans in pods about 4 inches long, typically with 3 to 5 beans per pod. Sturdy, upright bush plants grow about 15 to 20 inches tall, making pods easy to pick and shell. This All-America Selections winner offers dependable garden performance and tolerates Southern summer heat. Each packet contains 50 non-GMO, heirloom seeds for planting.

Growing a Doomsday Garden by David Schulze

Germination Rate: 80%. Test Date: 3/26. WILL.

Texas Minimum Germination Rate: 70%.

Why Choose Bean Lima Fordhook Bush 242?

• Heirloom variety: Grow an established garden favorite with the rich, creamy flavor associated with traditional butterbeans.
• Non-GMO seeds: A choice for gardeners seeking a non-GMO vegetable seed variety.
• All-America Selections winner: Recognized for outstanding garden performance.
• Compact bush habit: Upright plants need no trellis and make picking and shelling convenient.
• Heat tolerance: Well suited to warm-season gardens; consistent moisture is still important for flowering and pod development.
• Generous harvests: Large, plump beans are useful for fully cooked side dishes, soups, and succotash.

Planting Tips for Success

• When to plant: Direct sow after frost danger has passed and soil is at least 65°F; warmer soil encourages more reliable emergence. Plan late-summer sowings only where enough frost-free growing time remains.
• Sunlight: Choose full sun with at least 6 to 8 hours of direct light daily.
• Soil: Use well-drained soil with moderate fertility and a pH around 6.0 to 6.8. Avoid sowing into cold, wet soil.
• Depth and spacing: Sow 1 to 1.5 inches deep, initially 3 to 4 inches apart. Thin to about 6 inches apart in rows 24 to 30 inches apart.
• Watering: Keep soil evenly moist, especially during flowering and pod fill. Water at soil level and avoid handling wet foliage.
• Support: Bush plants are generally self-supporting and do not require a climbing trellis.
• Fertilizing: Base fertilizer on soil needs. Avoid excess nitrogen, which can favor foliage over pods; nitrogen fixation depends on suitable soil bacteria.
• Harvest: Begin checking around 70 to 80 days, allowing for weather and growing conditions. Pick full, green pods for fresh shelling; allow mature pods to dry for dry beans.

Why Choose David's Garden Seeds®?

• Veteran-Owned: Supplying premium seeds since 2009.
• GO TEXAN Certified: Supporting local agriculture and communities.
• Integrity Pledge: David's Garden Seeds has taken the Seed Integrity Pledge.
• Vegetable Seed License: David's Garden Seeds has been granted a Vegetable Seed License for the State of Texas.

Cooking Methods

• Fully cooked butterbeans: Shell harvested beans and cook in water until thoroughly tender before adding butter, herbs, or seasonings. Do not eat raw or undercooked lima beans.
• Succotash: Combine fully cooked limas with corn, sweet peppers, and onion for a colorful garden-to-table side.
• Soups and stews: Add fully cooked beans for creamy texture and a hearty finish. Dried limas require separate soaking and thorough cooking according to a reliable preparation method.
• Skillet finishing: Toss already fully cooked beans with sautéed garlic and herbs; sautéing raw beans alone is not an adequate preparation method.
• Freezing: Follow a tested food-preservation method for blanching and freezing fresh shelled limas. Blanching is not a substitute for fully cooking beans before eating.

Order Fordhook Bush 242 Lima Bean Seeds Today

Grow your own plump butterbeans and bring a comforting garden harvest to your table.

Nutritional Information

Existing listing reference per ½ cup (85 g) cooked lima beans, harvested beans rather than planting seeds. These values are not a variety-specific laboratory analysis.

• Calories: 108
• Total Fat: 0.4 g (1% Daily Value)
• Sodium: 14 mg (1% Daily Value)
• Total Carbohydrates: 20 g (7% Daily Value)
• Dietary Fiber: 7 g (25% Daily Value)
• Total Sugars: 0 g
• Protein: 7.3 g
• Folate: 78 mcg (20% Daily Value)
• Iron: 2.2 mg (12% Daily Value)
• Magnesium: 63 mg (15% Daily Value)
• Potassium: 485 mg (10% Daily Value)

% Daily Value indicates how much a nutrient contributes to a daily diet. Actual nutrition varies with growing conditions, serving size, and preparation; added ingredients change these values.

Important Disclosures

• Variety Disclaimer: Natural variations in size, color, and maturity occur. Results depend on climate, growing conditions, and garden care.
• Seed Storage: Keep planting seeds cool, dry, and out of direct sunlight. Viability declines with age and poor storage conditions.
• Planting Zones: Grow as a warm-season annual when local soil temperatures and frost-free growing time are suitable. Consult your local extension service for planting dates.
• Food safety: This packet contains seeds for planting, not food. Recipes use harvested beans. Lima beans must be thoroughly cooked before eating; do not taste them raw.

Grow something beautiful. Grow something delicious. Grow with David's Garden Seeds®.

Garden Recipe: Fordhook Butterbean Succotash

Serve creamy, fully cooked Fordhook Bush 242 lima beans with sweet corn, peppers, and onion. Use harvested produce, never the planting seeds from this packet.

Serves: 4 as a side. Prep: 15 minutes. Cooking: About 30 to 45 minutes, or longer as needed to fully cook the fresh beans.

Ingredients

• 2 cups freshly shelled, harvested Fordhook Bush 242 lima beans, rinsed
• 2 cups sweet corn kernels
• 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ cup water or low-sodium vegetable broth, plus more as needed
• ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice, optional

Directions

1. Place the freshly shelled lima beans in a saucepan and cover generously with water. Bring to a full boil, then maintain a steady simmer until thoroughly cooked and tender throughout, typically 20 to 30 minutes or longer depending on maturity. Add water as needed. Do not taste raw or undercooked beans. Drain and discard the cooking water.
2. While the beans cook, heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper and cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring, until softened.
3. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in corn and ¼ cup water or broth. Cook 5 to 7 minutes until the corn is tender, adding a splash of water if needed.
4. Fold in the fully cooked, drained lima beans. Cook gently for 3 to 5 minutes until hot throughout. Season with salt and pepper, then add parsley and optional lemon juice.
5. Serve warm as a side dish with your favorite main course.

Options and Storage

• Using dried beans: Do not substitute dried beans directly into the fresh-bean cooking step. Soak and thoroughly cook separately using a reliable dried-lima-bean method, then measure 2 cups cooked beans for the skillet.
• Dairy-free option: Replace the butter with another tablespoon of olive oil.
• Leftovers: Refrigerate in a shallow covered container within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 90°F. Use within 3 to 4 days and reheat to 165°F.