Plant bush beans in late January or early February--you may need to germinate the seeds indoors--for harvest in March or April; or plant in September for harvest late October into November. Check the "days to harvest" on the seed package and get the fastest kinds you can!
Pole beans should be planted in late July or early August, maybe with a temporary shade, for harvest October into December. Be sure to pick frequently, since just a few overripe pods can stop production for weeks.
Also, beans need more fertilizer here than in most parts of the country, partly because of frequent watering, and partly because of the lack of nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the soil. If you can find fresh inoculant from someone in southern California or Texas, or a similar hot climate, you can fix the latter problem. Otherwise, be sure to feed regularly with a high nitrogen plant food.
Hope this helps, and good luck. : ])

Well from my experience I find the best time to plant gree beans is the last two weeks of February or even into March. If you plant in January or too early in February, will will lose them to frost. They do not do really well in the heat so If I have them up by early March, I am harvesting them by May and I get great crops. I have planted in the fall but find that my crop size is greatly reduced and I also have problems from mildew. I have the best luck with Contenders. They are about six inches and a slight curve to them. They are cheap to buy also.

Has anyone here tried to plant scarlet runner beans? I have some seeds and badly want to plant them before I have to run off to college next year and worry I've missed the time. I need a trellis, which is my excuse for not planting them yet. We also have a squirrel that lives in my neighbors tree (I always thought I'd be safe from them here in the heart of Phoenix)and I've heard they like to eat bean sprouts. The bugger was at the cucumbers last year.

I tried them -they were doing great and died in June from the heat.

Lazy,
So if I plant them now do you think they'll be ok or will they die from the cold later?

I don't know ... I'm thinking of trying them again because the hummers love the blossoms.