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Produce => Edible Plants => Topic started by: YorkshireLass on March 23, 2008, 14:31:18

Title: sowing autumn beans and lettuce now?
Post by: YorkshireLass on March 23, 2008, 14:31:18

Hi all,

Last autumn I direct-sowed some broad beans (aquadulce claudia) and winter lettuce (winter density). I can't have done a very good job, as the beans failed to show, and the lettuce germinated but has since disappeared (I'm afraid I neglected the plot a little over winter due to starting a new job a ways from home)  :'(

Can anyone advise whether it would be worth trying again with these seeds now? I have leftovers, and could start them in pots and then transplant when they're going strongly. Of course all the info about them says sow autumn winter, so there may be no point.

Thanks

Charlotte

Title: Re: sowing autumn beans and lettuce now?
Post by: saddad on March 23, 2008, 14:40:06

The lettuce will grow, and no doubt the BB's would, but I'd leave the BB's and get another variety now.

Title: Re: sowing autumn beans and lettuce now?
Post by: caseylee on March 23, 2008, 14:47:29

My winter lettuce is growing lovely, have had to put it them into bigger pots today ( lottie not ready for planting yet)

Title: Re: sowing autumn beans and lettuce now?
Post by: YorkshireLass on March 24, 2008, 02:02:57

Is that just because there are better beans available? Or that they wouldn't grow so well?
Charlotte

Title: Re: sowing autumn beans and lettuce now?
Post by: Tee Gee on March 25, 2008, 16:17:27

Looking at your user name I guess you might well be gardening in Yorkshire as I am.

There is no reason why you can't sow your broad beans.

Basically there is no difference in beans its just that the ones you chose were 'winter hardy' in so far as they will survive the winter and give you a better chance of an earlier crop. So sow them!!.... all you have lost is a bit time.

The same should apply with your lettuce but I am not certain here as I have never grown them before.

To be quite honest I prefer to hibernate for the winter and leave my plot to rest, and to hell with creating a feeding area for the birds who love such things in early spring when there is nothing else to eat.

This is how I grow my beans; http://tinyurl.com/2o52sj and lettuce; http://tinyurl.com/2sb2wt

Title: Re: sowing autumn beans and lettuce now?
Post by: antipodes on March 25, 2008, 17:03:58

I sowed some red scarole and some winter lettuce. It grew then stagnated over winter but now it seems to be taking off again.

Title: Re: sowing autumn beans and lettuce now?
Post by: kitten on March 25, 2008, 17:18:27

Hi YL, we are in Lincs and have yet to sow any broad beans, probably will try this weekend if it's not raining - AGAIN!!!!!

Actually, we're yet to sow very much, so we're lagging behind already, and it's only March! x

Title: Re: sowing autumn beans and lettuce now?
Post by: morton on March 25, 2008, 17:25:01

Actually Kitten you obviously have patience and are probably right on schedule. Many others are early and in a lot of cases far too early. The way the weather has been this year you can still wait a while yet.

Title: Re: sowing autumn beans and lettuce now?
Post by: sawfish on March 25, 2008, 17:26:56

you can quite easily sow your broad beans now. I usually sow, february then again in april.