Topic: Too Early for Beans?

[bruno]

Is it still too early to plant out runner and french beans?

[Fork]

if there is still a danger of frost where you are then the answer it yes.........unless of course,you go to great lengths to cover them every night if frost is forecast.

My seed are not even set yet...another 2 weeks at least.

[Digeroo]

And the weather forecast is not always very accurate on the possibility of frost.

I  have some in a small plastic greenhouse/cloche.  But last year I lost them not to frost but they got too hot and cooked. 

It is a bit of a gamble, I put out a few early ones, and cover the whole wigwam in cling film.  If you are lucky you get some early beans.  But they often do not set well early on.

[Sparkly]

I put bolotti and spagna bianco out last year at the end of April. It was a gamble, but the weather was fair and we got early flowering. Ours were surrounded by a glass cube.

[Tatty]

Being new to all this I thought runner beans were hardy and have had mine out for a month or more! They are growing well - will it be obvious if they are not going to give me beans? Will they die if they cannot cope with the frost so if they are still growing then it will be O.K?

I am in the south so probably a bit warmer here but we have had frosts since they have been out?

Also have broad beans out and peas too!

Should I be planting a few more and keeping them in till end of may?

So much to learn!

[betula]

The advice re runner beans is wait till danger of frost has gone or rush out and cover up if frost is forecast. :)

I have got some in pots and they don't look right to me,they have been indoors but I think they are not going to be great,last time I started them indoors they were growing up the walls by the time I put them out and then they went limp and miserable.Last year the rabbits ate them at the very young stage. :o

Some people I talk to say it is better to start them off in the ground rather than pots.

[Alimo]

I'm going to risk putting mine out today - but maybe rig up some protection from the north wind that we're forecast....

Being in the south west I don't anticipate any more frosts (but hey - never say never).

I'll also sow one seed per cane when I plant them - hopefully getting another crop later.

Alison

PS this is runner beans - my french beans have only just germinated, and the peas have been out for some time.  Another lot sown to follow on.

[chriscross1966]

Broad beans are hardy, so are round peas. Nearly all other beans and wrinkled peas are not. I've had round peas out for a while and although the dreadful winter killed off  one batch of broad beans and mice hadtheir replacements I have another set in the ground now and they're coming into flower. I've just sown something like 800 assorted beans and wrinkled peas (a tall one), beans are everything from my sis-in-laws pet runner beans,  three varieties of soy bean, lots of climbing french beans for dry/shelled beans, borolttis, two sorts of butter bean, lots of dwarf beans for drying/shelling and crimson flowered broadies to take over from the Suttons that are in ATM.... there's 23 gravel trays in my kitchen ATM and 20 of them are loaded with modules of peas and beans.....

If I'd had the space/time at the right time to do so I'd have probaably tried to get some runners in early with another batch to follow on in case they failed but I wasn't in a position to so couldn't

chrisc

[betula]

Thes do not look to great to me,having probs getting the light levels right.

Would you start again ??

[cornykev]

I sowed my french beans direct last Sunday, one of the blokes on our lottie always sows his runners early, he as sellothane wrapped round them and they are about 8 inches high.   ;D ;D ;D

[Alimo]

They do look rather leggy.  I don't know if they'd be ok if you moved them to more sunny area or if you need to start again and throw them.

I would try to salvage them, and start some others in a lighter place - belt and braces approach.

Alison

[plainleaf2]

my first set of seeds got planted out yesterday. If the frost gets them. no big deal i just resow the area later.

[chriscross1966]

I predict I'll be having to get up an hour earlier soon to shuttle gravel trays in and out of the kitchen and to do the watering in the polytunnel.....I've got 18 trays of beans and 2 of tall peas ...

Yes they look a bit leggy... put them outside in the day and bring them in at night.....

chrisc

[bcbeans]

This was one of my questions as a newbie - and novice grower I might add. Mine are planted outside in pots, they've sprouted and are about 3 inches tall now. I live on Vancouver Island, BC Canada, and the climate is pretty similar to the South of England (used to live there).
It get's pretty windy around here but so far they look okay. It's cool and rainy today, but no more frosts expected (famous last words...!)

[landimad]

I have just put mine into the ground in the hope of not getting any more frosts.
Check it out.
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,59683.msg611599.html#msg611599
Posted on the 30th

[antipodes]

I am probably a bad example, I sow direct and mine went in on Saturday. But as I am in Brittany...
I sowed 2 short rows of green beans, a few yellow wax and the end of a packet of Coco de Paimpol, which are half-drying beans.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I'm keeping mine under cover on the allotment for another couple of weeks at least.

[bruno]

Thanks for the advice - I'm in Derby so will wait another week or so. The beans can sit outside in pots and be covered with fleece if frost predicted.

[saddad]

Hi Bruno... I'm in Derby and mine are still in the packets... several on the site have put them out already... need to check if last night saw them off.... we have a plant sale on (Sunday 9th May) and again 6th June... just in case...

www.littleoverlaneallotments.org.uk

[superspud]

Broad beans are hardy, so are round peas. Nearly all other beans and wrinkled peas are not.

chrisc

See now I am confused ( not hard ), mine are round and wrinkled !. Kelvedon wonder. I have trays of french beans (Suttons ), broad beans, a tray of kelvedons that are looking like they want to emigrate fast, and some others I forget the name of, and I keep thinking I have to put them out fast or watch them die, I read broad beans were hardy and nearly put them out today regardless just so my garden has something in it this end!.

Why is this so confusing.