Contender Bush Beans – 20 Seeds

Contender Bush Beans is one of the best bush beans ever. It is a heavy cropper with round-oval pods and a strong, distinctive flavor. It’s an early bean that does well under short seasons and cool conditions, but it will thrive in hot weather too. A string-less favorite since 1949, it produces after only 50 days from sowing, and tolerates heat and powdery mildew where other varieties suffer. Disease resistant.

Growing Contender Bush Beans

Indoor Sowing: Not Recommended.

Direct Sowing: Spring and Summer.

• All types of beans should be sown after the danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed to at least 10 C.
• Sow all beans except cowpea, yard-long and lima beans 2.5 cm deep in heavy soil or 4 cm deep in light soil.
• The other three types of beans (cowpea, yard-long and lima) should be planted 1 cm deep in heavy soil and 2.5 cm deep in light soil.
• Cover the seeds with sand, peat, vermiculite or aged compost to prevent soil crusting.
• Plant bush bean seeds 5-10 cm apart in rows that are 61-91 cm apart.
• Plant pole beans in either rows or hills with seeds 15-25 cm apart in rows that approximately 1m apart. Provide support for pole beans as well.
• Growing beans, regardless of type, do not need supplemental fertilizer but they do need consistent irrigation, especially while budding and on into setting pods.
• Water bean plants with an inch of water per week depending upon weather conditions. Water in the morning so the plants can dry rapidly and avoid fungal disease