Contender Bush Beans

[Broke Down Ranch]

So I have only ever grown climbing beans but this year wanted to try something different so bought some Contender bush beans. Only I bought them in bulk so there are no planting instructions. Just how bushy do they get? Do they need support of any kind? How wide do I need to make my space before I plant the next row of stuff?

Does anyone perhaps have a pic of what they look like in full leaf? I tried to google some images but just found pics of the beans themselves....lol

Thanks in advance!

 

[digitS']

I gave it as much thought as I could but can't remember growing Contender . . .

Their very early maturity date should make them a good choice for succession planting as room becomes available thru the early Summer. It would be great for you to have some extra seed on hand up until about 2 months off from your First Frost Date. Pole beans are an all season crop in my garden but I can follow up early things with beans right up until the middle of July .

I have a fair amount of room in my large veggie garden and leave ground for my tiller between rows. The rear-tines are supposed to be 17" but with all the rocks . . . I need quite a few more inches than that for a path to till.

I doubt that Contender is a very tall plant. But, I sow my bush beans in double rows so that they can support each other. I will late-plant a few feet of 4 foot beds in the small veggie garden. The soil is quite a bit better there and they do well. It really helps me to drive some posts in and run twine about 12 inches up, around that bed to keep the bush beans from flopping out into the paths.

. . . hope that helps.

Steve

 

[seedcorn]

I've never grown them but here are a few quotes from articles.

The most common type in our Texas gardens is the standard round-podded types. One that is an old standard with Texas gardeners is Contender. This bean consistently produces nice crops of good quality pods and does well in many different soils and climates. I have conducted trials for a number of years and although Contender has never been the winner in productivity, it was always in the top group. I think if you are going to plant just one variety it is a good choice, and is widely available.

Fairly hardy under adverse conditions and well suited to solar-greenhouse use because of its earliness, heat tolerance and disease resistance. Resistant to common bean mosaic virus (race 1) and tolerant of powdery mildew

Contender is extremely early, very dependable and prolific. It produces long, round to slightly oval pods that are medium green and about six inches long at maturity. They are tasty fresh out of the garden or can be canned or frozen.
It is resistant to common bean mosaic virus as well as powdery mildew. It does well in cool, short climates, as well as in warm, humid climates.

Bred by the Southeastern Vegetable Breeding Laboratory, Charleston, South Carolina. It was released in 1949 with the cooperation of the Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida Agricultural Experimental Stations.