Phaseolus vulgaris (50 days) Open-pollinated. For highest early yields—even under adverse conditions—and rich beany taste, nothing provides like Provider. Noted for its concentrated sets of round 5–5½" pods.
“There is no substitute for Provider beans,” says Chris Carlin of Hyde Park, Vt. Also excellent for canning and “my choice for freezing and dilly beans,” says Elaine Carlson of Cape Porpoise, Maine. Anne Elder of Community Farm of Ann Arbor, Mich., praises its amazing resilience: it and Royal Burgundy re-flower repeatedly after heavy pickings followed by rains. Came in one day ahead of Contender for earliest in our observation plot.
Our best-selling variety in the catalog year after year. Last year we sold 1 ton of seed. Released by the USDA in 1965. Purple seed. Resistant to CBMV, NY 15, PM, DM, PMV. ①
This item is certified organic
205
Provider
- Organic
Additional Information
Bush Beans
About 60-100 seeds/2 oz packet. Seed sizes vary significantly by variety.
Pick frequently for maximum and steady yields, but avoid harvesting or disturbing foliage in wet conditions to prevent spread of fungal diseases. Successive plantings can be made every 2 or 3 weeks until midsummer.
Beans
All beans are open-pollinated.
Days to maturity are from seeding date.
Culture: Tender, will not survive frost. Inoculate with a legume inoculant, then plant seeds 3–4" apart in rows 24–30" apart after all danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed. Minimum germination soil temperature 60°; optimal range 70–80°. White-seeded beans are generally more sensitive to cold soil temps than dark-seeded varieties. Legumes have moderate fertility needs and can fix their own nitrogen.
Saving Seed: Saving bean seed is easy! Leave pods on the plants to dry. Hand shell, or stomp pods on a tarp. To ensure true-to-type seed, separate varieties by 30 feet.
Diseases:
ANTH: Anthracnose
BBS: Bacterial Brown Spot
CBMV: Common Bean Mosaic Virus
CTV: Curly Top Virus
DM: Downy Mildew
HB: Halo Blight
NY 15: NY 15 Mosaic Virus
PM: Powdery Mildew
PMV: Pod Mottle Virus
R: Rust
SC: Sclerotina
White mold, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, affects more than 300 plant species. In beans, low humidity, good air circulation and wider spacing, both between plants and between rows, reduce the likelihood of this soil-borne infection.
Germination Testing
For the latest results of our germination tests, please see the germination page.
Our Seeds are Non-GMO
All of our seeds are non-GMO, and free of neonicotinoids and fungicides. Fedco is one of the original companies to sign the Safe Seed Pledge.
This item is certified organic