Contender Bean Seeds

$3.29

Contender bush bean is a perfect variety for short growing seasons, thanks to its fast yielding, as early as 50 days from planting. These vigorous plants produce gently curved six to eight inches light green bean seed pods. This variety is stringless, making it good for canning, freezing, or eating raw, straight from the garden.


- Latin Name: Phaseolus Vulgaris 
- Days to Maturity: 50-70
- Life Cycle: Annual
- Start Indoors: 3 weeks before last spring frost
- Direct Sowing: After last spring frost
( For a continuous supply sow every 2-3 weeks until midsummer)
- Days to Germination: 5-10
- Germination Optimal Soil Temperature: 20-30°C 
( Plant when daytime temperatures average a minimum of 16°C or risk lower germination)
- Planting Depth: 3 cm
- Seed Spacing: 2-3 seeds every 5-10 cm
- Thinning Seedlings: Every 40-60 cm when at least 8-10 cm tall with 2 sets of true leaves
- Row Spacing: 50-90 cm
- Plant Height: 40-70 cm
- Harvest: Regularly to encourage the growth of new pod sets 
- Average Seeds Needed Per 10 m Row: 250
- Average Yield Per 10 m Row: 15 lb.

GROWING INSTRUCTIONS

Pole beans and bush beans are tender annual vegetables beloved by many. This iconic summer crop can be easily and practically grown in the home garden. Sow seeds directly into the garden when soil temperatures reach at least 10-15°C and after the danger of the last frost has passed. Do not start seeds early; transplanting can too easily damage the fragile root system.

Choose a sunny well-drained site to plant your beans. Because pole beans utilize their vines to grow vertically they will need support structures, such as stakes, a trellis or fencing installed before planting. Plant pole beans about 2 cm deep and 8 cm apart. Plant bush beans every 8 cm in rows about 45 cm apart. In order to have a continual harvest throughout the season, start new plantings every two weeks.

Beans fix nitrogen from the atmosphere into the soil, therefore do not need much supplemental fertilizing, though a dose of compost after a heavy flowering would be a nice midseason pick-me-up. It’s a good idea to rotate the location of your beans from year to year so that other crops can take advantage of their nitrogen deposits.

Be sure that your beans stay well-watered. If not, they will cease flowering. For this reason, rows of beans will benefit from the application of mulch around the base of the plants. This helps keep their shallow root base moist and cool. When pole beans outgrow their support, pinch out the top of the plants to encourage lower growth.

Harvest beans when they are young and tender. The best time of day to pick is in the morning, when the sugar content is highest. Pick as often as possible, as this will promote a more bountiful harvest.

QUICK FACTS

- Beans in their wild state were first gathered in Afghanistan and the Himalayan foothills over 12,000 years ago. The first signs of cultivation of the beans were in Asia in 7,000 BCE and the first large-seeded broad beans varieties appeared in 2,000 BCE in ancient Egypt. A few varieties of beans were also already cultivated when the Europeans first came to America.

- There are four main types of beans: 1-Pole beans are a vining plant that needs a structure to climb, like a trellis or a fence. 2- Bush beans, on the other hand, are shorter and freestanding. 3- Snap beans can be eaten raw, with the pod. 4- Shell beans are meant to be opened up, so the seeds inside can be eaten.

- Bean seeds will remain viable for 3 years if stored in a cool, dark place, ideally between 4 and 10⁰C. After that, the germination rate may start to go down.

OUR SEED GUARANTEE

You know that a lush, fruitful garden needs good soil, frequent watering, and sunlight to grow, but it’s the seeds that really make the harvest.

Picked and bagged for 2024 the vast majority of our seeds have germination rates of over 85%. The seeds are all-natural, non-GMO, non-hybrid, untreated, and open-pollinated for seed saving.

We have put a lot of thoughts into the design and packaging of our seed packets. Our seeds are all carefully packed in food grade kraft paper/aluminium zipper lock bags, and then are shipped in eco-friendly padded mailers.

We heat-seal each of our seed packet for even more protection from moisture, odour and light, allowing you to store your seeds for up to 3x longer than paper or plastic. Plant them all, germinate some indoors, save some for next season - it’s up to you!

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Filter Reviews:
HM
02/07/2022
Hilda M.

Another vegetable I'm looking forward to t...

Another vegetable I'm looking forward to taste.

K
18/11/2021
Karine

J'ai hâte au printemps pour planter mes be...

J'ai hâte au printemps pour planter mes beaux légumes

SF
07/09/2021
Steff F.

Fast shipment, great quality and packing.

Fast shipment, great quality and packing.

SF
07/09/2021
Steff F.

Fast shipment, great quality and packing.

Fast shipment, great quality and packing.

VC
01/05/2021
Vicki C.