Sowing Runner Bean - Timing ?

[mikey]

Hi all,

possibly this question has been asked before but 'search' facility is not working at present so .....

when do you guys sow Runner Beans, in cold Greenhouse / windowsill, is mid March too early.  ???

we are located 'mid' Lincolnshire, last frost in 2006 was +/- end April

comments and suggestions please

Mikey

[mikey]

[Tee Gee]

I will be interested to hear as well last week April/first week May for me and even then I have sometimes to hold them back from planting out.

I can recall being wiped out one year on the night of 31st May/1st June so its very much a case of once bitten twice shy with me!

[Trevor_D]

May 6th last year in the GH. Hardened off in cold frame & planted out May 29th.

[tim]

First week in May for me.

And then, when planted out end May, I stretch fleece across the canes, which are 'on the lean', to shield the plants.

And follow up with a later sowing 'in case of whatever' & to minimise the glut & extend the season .

[Barnowl]

Last year I started my first batch in a heated propagator in the GH mid March, into the cold frame mid April and planted out 30th April. End of May sowed seeds direct along other side of the frame. The latter didn't do as well as the earlier lot but that side of the frame gets less sun.

[daisymay]

will be learning from last year and not be sowing until mid May. All of ours were killed by frost in June last year (in Bedfordshire) as we planted out too early. The ones we planted to replace never really caught up as they then had to contend with the July tempuratures of last summer before they had got established.

Have even done a proper bean trench this year - lined with newspaper, wool, comfrey leaves and compost - so fingers crossed!

[Mrs Ava]

Mine are sowed in pots in the greenhouse in mid April to be planted out May day weekend.  ;D

[mikey]

thanks folks,

I will go with 'early / mid May' for sowing, as we are quite exposed in open country on the West side of the Lincolnshire Wolds.

Barnowl ... March date, possibly helped by 'big city' heat

Cheers

[laurieuk]

I sow in the greenhouse mid-March about thirty in a seed tray, as soon as they show signs of growing I pot into single pots. I plant out late April with fleece alog the sides of the row. Then I do later sowings so as to keep picking until Oct. I save my own seed every the variety is Stenna which gives very long beans quickly with no stringu ones. I have used the same row for about 20 years.

[sawfish]

Sow mid May in 3 inch pots. Plant out end of May beginning of June up here.