Contender Bush Bean is a reliable, fast-maturing snap bean that delivers tender pods in just 50 days from sowing. This compact bush variety grows 12 to 20 inches tall, making it a practical choice for small spaces, containers, or succession planting throughout the season. Direct sow these beans into warm soil after your last frost date, and you'll have fresh, crisp beans ready to harvest in early summer. The variety thrives in full sun and moderate watering, asking for little fussing once established.
Full Sun
Moderate
?-?
20in H x ?in W
—
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
Contender produces a dependable harvest in 50 days, one of the faster bush beans available for impatient gardeners. Its compact 12 to 20 inch height means you can tuck it into tight garden corners or grow it in containers without needing support structures. The tight 1 inch spacing allows dense planting, maximizing yield from limited garden real estate. In regions with long growing seasons, successive sowings every 7 to 14 days keep fresh beans coming until 80 days before your first fall frost.
Contender beans are enjoyed fresh as snap beans, eaten whole when pods are tender and immature. They work beautifully steamed, sautéed, roasted, or tossed into salads while still crisp. The beans can also be left to mature on the plant and dried for shell beans or dried bean soup, though they're primarily grown for their tender green pods.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Starting seeds indoors is not recommended for Contender Bush Bean.
Direct sow outside 1 to 2 weeks after your average last frost date, when soil temperature reaches at least 65°F, ideally between 70°F and 85°F. Plant seeds 1 inch deep and 1 inch apart in rows spaced 24 inches apart. For continuous harvests, make successive sowings every 7 to 14 days until 80 days before your average first fall frost date.
Harvest Contender beans when pods are tender and immature, typically 50 days after planting. Pick pods when they snap crisply between your fingers and before the beans inside begin to bulge visibly. Regular harvesting encourages the plant to continue flowering and producing more pods. Check plants every 2 to 3 days during peak production, as pods mature quickly and become tough and stringy if left too long.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.