Provider (bush snap)
What's special about Provider (bush snap)
The reliable green bean. Cold-tolerant, heavy yield.
Growing this variety
Provider (bush snap) follows the same growing basics as Bush Bean. Variety-specific maturity above; everything else below applies to the whole Bush Bean family.
Germination
Spacing & depth
How to plant
Direct sow — beans hate transplant. NEVER soak seed; it rots. Succession sow every 2–3 weeks.
Grower's tip
Nitrogen-fixer — plant before heavy feeders like corn or squash.
Soil preferences
Well-drained loam. Beans and peas fix their own nitrogen — don't over-fertilize.
6.0–7.0
Inoculate seed with rhizobia bacteria at planting for a nitrogen boost. Skip nitrogen fertilizer.
Watering
1 in per week; more during flowering and pod fill.
Drip at the base — wet foliage invites anthracnose and rust.
Overwatered: yellow leaves, dropped blossoms, root rot. Underwatered: dropped flowers, short pods with few seeds.
Prefers top-watering — Top-water at the base with drip. Rust and anthracnose spread through wet leaves — never work in a bean patch when it's wet.
Temperature tolerance
65–80°F (18–27°C) for beans; 55–70°F (13–21°C) for peas
50–65°F (10–18°C)
Peas and favas tolerate frost; common beans, limas, and southern peas are frost-tender.
Container growing
Yes — great in containers
3+ gal (11 L) for bush types; use a trellis for pole types
Bush beans and peas do well in pots; pole types need a sturdy 6-ft trellis.
Succession planting
Bush beans every 2–3 weeks until 8 weeks before first frost. One planting of peas per cool season.
Detailed harvesting
Pick snap types young and often when pods snap crisply. For shell beans, let pods dry to brown on the plant.
Post-harvest storage & preservation
Fresh: refrigerate 3–5 days. Freeze blanched. Dry-shelled: store in sealed jars after freezing 3 days to kill weevil eggs.
Culinary, medicinal & other uses
Fresh snap, shell fresh, dry for storage, sprout for greens, cover crop for soil building.
Medicinal or traditional uses are shared for interest only — this is not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional before using any plant medicinally.
Seed saving
Self-pollinating (peas, common beans). Runner beans and fava beans cross via bees.
10 ft for common beans; 150 ft for runners and favas.
The pod IS the seed — let extras dry on the plant, shell, and freeze 3 days before storage.
Your zone's planting calendar
Pick your USDA hardiness zone and we'll estimate the key dates for bush bean in your area. These are regional averages — always check your own last-frost forecast before sowing.
My Provider (bush snap) Bush Bean notes
Provider (bush snap) Bush Bean seeds on hand
Track packets and loose seeds you already have. Private to your account.
Par level — leave at 0 for no alert. Anything below par shows on Seed Starting and your shopping list.
From your kitchen — grow bush bean from what you already have
Beans and peas are the easiest seed to save — the seed IS the harvest.
- 1Leave pods on the plant until they turn tan and rattle.
- 2Pick whole pods on a dry day; shell into a bowl or paper bag.
- 3Air-dry indoors another 1–2 weeks — a bean should shatter, not dent, when hit with a hammer.
- 4Freeze 3 days in a sealed jar to kill weevil eggs, then store dry.
Storage: 3–4 years dry.
Order more seeds
Running low? Reorder from one of these seed stores.
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Other Bush Bean varieties
Blue Lake (bush or pole)
55 daysClassic canning bean. Sweet, meaty pods.
Kentucky Wonder (pole)
65 days8-ft climber. Long flat pods, old-fashioned bean flavor.
Romano (flat / Italian)
60 daysWide, flat pods. Cook longer than round beans — meltingly tender.
Dragon Tongue
60 daysPurple-streaked yellow pods. Colors fade when cooked but flavor is stellar.
Yardlong (asparagus bean)
80 days18" pods on a pole. Heat-loving — thrives when regular beans quit.
Scarlet Runner (pole)
70 daysOrnamental red flowers, edible pods and beans. Hummingbird magnet.
Lima / Butter Bean
80 daysShell bean — grow to pod maturity, shell out large flat beans.
Pinto / Kidney / Black (dry)
100 daysLet pods dry on the plant, then shell for winter storage beans.
Fava / Broad Bean
85 daysCOOL-season bean — plant in early spring like peas. Frost-tolerant.
Contender (bush snap)
50 daysAAS heat-tolerant early bush bean — 6 in stringless round pods. Best for hot climates and short seasons.
Borlotti Bean
60 days fresh / 90 days dryCream and pink speckled pods and beans; beloved in Italian soups and stews.
Golden Wax Bean
55 daysButtery-yellow bush snap bean with mild, tender pods.
Kentucky Wonder Pole Bean
65 daysClassic 7–9 in flat green pods on vigorous 5–7 ft vines; old-time flavor.
Provider Bush Beans
50 daysReliable early bush snap bean; cold-soil tolerant and heavy yielding.
Tenderette Bean
55 daysSlender, stringless, tender green bush bean; excellent fresh or frozen.